Ali Kaynak shot dead on Burgemeester de Vlugtlaan

Ali Kaynak, a 48-year-old Amsterdam hospitality entrepreneur and founder of the Halal Fried Chicken fast-food concept, was shot dead on Monday evening, 11 September 2017, on Burgemeester de Vlugtlaan in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. That evening, he had an appointment at his restaurant and arrived there shortly before 22:30. After the meeting, he walked outside, got into his car unsuspectingly and was shot at around 23:30 from the driver’s side by two men. Bystanders and emergency workers tried to help him, but Ali Kaynak later died in hospital from his injuries. He left behind a wife and four children. The murder did not happen in isolation. In the months before his death, several violent incidents had taken place around his restaurants and business partners. On 21 April 2017, a fire was started at the restaurant on Burgemeester de Vlugtlaan. On 10 August 2017, another arson attack took place, this time at a Halal Fried Chicken branch on Plein 40-45. On 18 August 2017, one of Ali Kaynak’s business partners was shot after having had an appointment at the Burgemeester de Vlugtlaan branch; he was hit but survived the attack. Police later believed that the two men who killed Ali Kaynak belonged to the same group responsible for the earlier intimidation and attacks. The shooters were described as two young, slim men dressed in black, with hoods pulled over their heads. The motive remained unclear. Investigators looked at possible business conflicts around the restaurant chain, as well as other tensions in his surroundings. Ali Kaynak was described by his family and community as a committed entrepreneur and family man. Despite camera footage, witness appeals and a reward for the decisive tip, as far as is known no one has been convicted for his murder. The case has therefore remained unsolved. What is clear is that Ali Kaynak was deliberately ambushed and shot dead after a series of earlier violent incidents around his business.