Toddler killed in restaurant shooting

A FATHER was yesterday comforting his wife in Turkey after their two-year-old son was killed in a restaurant shooting as he slept in his pram.

Alistair Grimason was found dead by his mother Ozlem after a lone gunman opened fire on three other men as the family ate a meal in the village of Foca, near Izmir.

The infant’s father David arrived in Turkey last night after travelling from the family home in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, Scotland, to be reunited with his wife.

The 31-year-old printer only returned to Scotland on Friday after spending two weeks with Ozlem and Alistair on the Turkish west coast.

Mr Grimason’s mother Mary, who was given the all-clear for breast cancer just six weeks ago, accompanied him on the flight.

The toddler’s uncle Mark Grimason said his brother had been left in a state of “total shock” by the tragedy.

Speaking from his parents’ home in East Kilbride, he said: “Ozlem was in a restaurant with her mother and other friends when an argument broke out at another table between four men. One of the men opened fire on the other three.

“When the gunfire went off the restaurant was evacuated and only then did Ozlem spot blood on the pram. Alistair had been hit and he was dead.”

Mr Grimason said the family were struggling to come to terms with the shooting, which happened on Monday night.

“David is in total shock and after he heard he just wanted to be there,” he said.

Mr Grimason said his sister-in-law’s family owned a holiday home in Foca, which he described as a peaceful area.

Ozlem, 27, was planning to spend a further four weeks in Turkey with Alistair before returning home to her computing job at Glasgow University.

Paying tribute to his nephew, Mr Grimason said: “He was totally placid, good-natured and all smiling.”

It is understood police in Turkey are still hunting the gunman while the three men injured in the shooting are believed to be critical in hospital.