Denver Man Worried About His Family In Turkey Following Coup Attempt
DENVER (CBS4) - People in Denver are reacting to the attempted coup in Turkey.
CBS4's Karen Morfitt talked to Tayfun Sonmez, a Denver business owner who has family in Turkey.
"If in any case, if it gets serious, the first thing in my priorities -- how to get them out here to safety," Sonmez said.
He's watching developments in his hometown of Ankara, Turkey, closely. His mother and sister are at home as thousands of others take to the streets -- some in support, while others opposed the coup attempt.
"I was more nervous than them, and they were little bit okay in the beginning," Sonmez said.
Right away the U.S Department of State tweeted a warning to Americans in the area to shelter in place and to stay indoors, saying when possible they should update family and friends of their status.
Sonmez says for his family it has been a tough connection to make at times.
"You call and it's just blank … there's no noise, there's nothing, and then you call again, you call again."
The University of Denver was also quick to react to news of the attempted takeover. They say one of their students is currently in Turkey and is safe, but like many they'll continue to monitor the situation closely.