AP image of Turkish assassin wins World Press Photo award

AMSTERDAM -- As an off-duty policeman who had just assassinated Russia's ambassador to Turkey stood in front of Burhan Ozbilici waving a gun, the veteran Associated Press photographer summoned the composure to stand his ground and keep taking pictures.

"I immediately decided to do my job because I could be wounded, maybe die, but at least I have to represent good journalism," Ozbilici said Monday as his image of gunman Mevlut Mert Altintas looming over the body of Ambassador Andrei Karlov was named World Press Photo of the Year.

Ozbilici's image of a political murder's immediate aftermath was part of a series titled "An Assassination in Turkey" that also won the Spot News - Stories category in the prestigious awards. The photos were captured in the moments before and after Altintas drew a handgun and shot Karlov at an Ankara gallery Dec. 19.

"Burhan's striking image was the result of skill and experience, composure under extreme pressure and the dedication and sense of mission that mark AP journalists worldwide," AP Executive Editor Sally Buzbee said. "We are enormously proud of his accomplishment."

In the winning photo, the assassin, wearing a suit and tie, stands defiantly, pistol in his right hand pointed at the ground and with his left hand raised, his index finger pointing upward. His mouth is wide open as he shouts angrily.

The ambassador's body lies on the floor just behind Altintas.

Pacing near the body of his victim, the gunman appeared to condemn Russia's military role in Syria, shouting: "Don't forget Aleppo! Don't forget Syria!" Altintas, who was a police officer, later was killed in a shootout with Turkish police.

Ozbilici said his professional instincts kicked in despite the shocking scene unfolding in front of him.

Explaining how he remained collected enough to keep taking pictures, he said: "I understood that this was big history, it was history, (a) very, very important incident."

The winning image announced Monday was among 80,408 photos submitted to the prestigious competition by 5,034 photographers from 125 countries. The World Press jury awarded prizes in eight categories to 45 photographers from 25 countries.

Jury chairman Stuart Franklin called Ozbilici's image "an incredibly hard-hitting news photograph" and part of a strong series documenting the assassination.

"I think Burhan was incredibly courageous and had extraordinary composure in being able to sort of calm himself down in the middle of the fray and take the commanding pictures that he took," Franklin said. "I think as a spot-news story, it was terrific."

But Franklin said after the presentation he did not vote for Ozbilici's photo to win the overall prize, despite the quality of the image and the bravery involved in capturing it.

He said he had a philosophical issue with recognizing as the world's top photograph a picture showing the victim and shooter in the same frame because he thinks it gives the shooter the publicity he sought by carrying out the shooting as he did.