17.01.2026 14:31
Seventeen-year-old Atlas Çağlayan, who was stabbed to death by 15-year-old E.Ç. during a dispute over "side glances" in Güngören, was buried next to his grandmother in Kazlıçeşme. Friends who visited Atlas's grave left red roses and candy by the tomb. A friend of Çağlayan said, "He was my closest friend at school. I never saw him disrespect anyone. I don't know the people he fought with."
On January 14, in a cafe on Emek Street in the Mehmet Nesih Özmen neighborhood of Güngören, Istanbul, it was learned that a fight broke out between two groups under the age of 18 over an accusation of "looking sideways," during which 15-year-old E.Ç. killed Atlas Çağlayan (17) with a knife he had with him.
FLOWERS AND CANDY LEFT AT ATLAS'S GRAVE
Atlas was buried next to his grandmother Emine Kaya in Kazlıçeşme Cemetery on January 15. Friends who visited Çağlayan's grave left red roses and candy at his grave.
"WE ALWAYS WENT TO FUTSAL MATCHES TOGETHER"
Atlas Çağlayan's school friend Enes Yıldız said, "He was the closest friend I had from school, I loved him, we always went to futsal matches together. We used to go to training together. I never saw any disrespect from him. He was a nice kid. May God have mercy on him, may his place be paradise. I don't know the people he fought with. They need to be punished. They should not be allowed to come in and out. They should not be released," he said.
GOVERNOR GÜL VISITED THE GRIEVING FAMILY
Visiting Atlas Çağlayan's family at their home in Güngören, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül said, "We conveyed our condolences. We are all very sad. The judicial process is ongoing. We came to offer our condolences. Anything beyond this would only deepen the family's pain, and we have no intention of sensationalizing the incident. It is a serious and painful event. Therefore, saying he said this to him, and he said that to him... None of this benefits anyone. Our police and judiciary are continuing the process with determination. In the end, we will all see the process regarding the punishment of the guilty," he said.
THREAT TO THE MOTHER: WE WILL BURY YOU NEXT TO YOUR SON
Mother Gülhan Çağlayan stated in her first statement that she wanted justice, but in her subsequent statement, she revealed that she had been threatened. According to Burak Doğan's report; mother Çağlayan said, "Today I started receiving threatening messages. The messages say exactly this, 'We killed your son Atlas, now it's your turn. We will bury you next to your son.' I will not bow to these threats," she expressed.
THE SUSPECT'S STATEMENT REVEALED
15-year-old E.Ç., who caused Atlas's death by stabbing him, was arrested. In his statement to the prosecutor's office, E.Ç. claimed that they were insulted.
"HE SAID 'WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT,' I STABBED HIM ONCE IN THE STOMACH"
E.Ç. stated in his statement to the prosecutor, "On the date of the incident, I went to a cafe in Güngören with my friends A.A.H., S.Y., and M. After leaving the cafe with my friends, while I was in front of the cafe, Atlas Çağlayan, whose name I learned as a result of the incident, came up to me and cursed, saying 'what are you looking at.' He approached me. I took out the knife I had and swung it. I stabbed him once in the stomach. After that, they laid the child on the ground. My friends who were with me also beat me and insulted me. I started to wait there. My friend A.A.H. told me to give him the knife, so I handed him the knife I had. While he was holding the knife, those in the cafe told him to throw the knife on the ground. My friend threw the knife on the ground. When the police arrived, they caught me in the cafe. They took the knife. I accept the accusations as I have described, I did not know Atlas Çağlayan before," he said.