Restaurant worker shot in Turkish gang war

A restaurant worker was gunned down in a Turkish gang war shooting as he spoke to his wife on his phone, a court heard.

Onur Guzel, 38, was shot outside the Umut 2000 restaurant in Crossway, Dalston, by the driver of a passing Kia Niro but survived.

Beytullah Gunduz, 39, denies conspiring with Dogan Over to murder Mr Gunzel.

Over, the driver and shooter, fled to Istanbul on 25 June and has never returned.

Gunduz was not in the Kia during the shooting but allegedly was in the area assisting Over.

Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff, KC, said ‘Mr Guzel was taking a break from his shift. He was on the phone to his wife.

‘CCTV shows that at 10.50pm a white Kia Niro pulled into the queue of traffic but held back slightly.

‘CCTV shows that the lights must have changed as the traffic ahead moved off. The Kia pulls forward until it is adjacent to that open doorway.

‘The driver pointed his arm out of the lowered passenger window and discharged a single shot directly at Onur Guzel.

‘That shot went directly into his torso. He survived his injuries, although he suffers serious, lasting effects.

‘The bullet, discharged at such close range, passed right through him into that doorway.

‘He sustained serious injuries including wounds to his left lower abdomen, the left side of his back, his bowels, which required emergency surgery at the Royal London Hospital.’

Mr Guzel could be heard screaming on CCTV, the court heard.

A colleague put pressure on the wound and emergency services were called.

He spent four weeks in hospital.

In hospital, Mr Guzel told police he did not see anyone point a gun at him but heard a loud bang and ‘immediately felt heat’.

‘He told police that there had been two previous incidents linked to his family and their restaurant.

Shots were fired at the home where his brother lived in Enfield on 5 April 2025.

Two days later shots were fired at the restaurant while it was closed for the night.

‘Mr Guzel described a Turkish male known as Beyto, and his associate known as Mus,’ said Ms Bickerstaff.

‘He believed that Beyto was short for Beytullah. He described Beyto as a white Turkish male, of about 35 to 40 years, with a cut on his face.

‘Mr Guzel believed that Beyto was part of a group of Hackney Boys known as the “Bombs”.

‘You will hear evidence from a police officer with expert knowledge about gangs who will tell you of two rival Organised Crime Groups operating in this area, the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks, known as the Bombacilar, which means “the bombers”.

‘Mr Guzel told police that following these two previous shootings he had met this man Beyto three times. He had also seen him and his associates hanging around in the vicinity of the restaurant in the hours before he was shot.

‘Mr Guzel said that around 12 April ‘Beyto’ cut across him in his Mercedes and told him he believed that a group from Tottenham, you may think the Tottenham Turks, were responsible.

‘They asked what they could do to help. Mr Guzel told them that they needed no help, that the matter had been reported to the police who were dealing with it through official channels.’

Mr Guzel said ‘Beyto’ and another man met with his father on another occasion and accused him of giving money to the Tottenham gang.

‘They said that the Tottenham group were their enemy and gave his father a week to give them £100,000,’ Ms Bickerstaff said.

Mr Guzel told police that on the day he was shot he saw ‘Beyto’ and another male sat outside Adana restaurant close by to Umut 2000.

‘He saw the grey Mercedes he associated with Beyto was parked nearby in Salcombe Road. He thought it odd because there was a male sitting alone in the Mercedes.’

Gunduz denies conspiracy to murder and an alternative charge of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues.