Ahmed Dogan, Bulgaria's Turkish party leader, narrowly escapes assassination (GRAPHIC VIDEO)

GlobalPost

Ahman Dogan, the leader of Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish political party, narrowly escaped assassination at a conference on Saturday. 

The 58-year-old head of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) was speaking at his party's national conference in Sofia, Bulgaria when a man emerged from the crowd and pointed a gun at his head, Reuters reported

The attacker did not manage to fire a shot, and delegates of the conference quickly disarmed him, according to Agence France Presse

The weapon was reportedly a gas gun, which is not lethal but can cause serious injuries if fired close-up, according to the Global Grind

Police have the attacker in custody, who they have identified Oktai Enimehmedov, Metro reported. He was also carrying two knives. 

The MRF is a liberal-leaning party representing ethnic Turks and other Muslims, 12 percent of Bulgaria's population, according to Reuters. Dogan is considered one of the movement's most influential politicians. 

After 23 years at the helm of the MRF, Dogan was expected to step down on Saturday, AFP reported. 

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