17-year-old Atlas Çağlayan died January 14th following a stabbing in Güngören on the far western side of Istanbul. The stabbing was the result of a dispute between Çağlayan and a 15-year-old assailant in a local cafe. Medyascope spoke to his mourning friends, saying he was the most innocent among them.

Reported by İlayda Önemli, translated by Leo Kendrick

Çağlayan was reportedly stabbed in the chest by the assailant and died after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

Several friends of Atlas Çağlayan who spoke to Medyascope remembered the 17-year-old as “clean hearted and innocent.”

A friend of Atlas who had known him for five or six years said that he first met Atlas’ twin brother Doruk at neighborhood football matches, and then met Atlas. The friend said that Atlas transferred from a private school to his current vocational school last year to become a healthcare worker. Saying that Atlas enjoyed playing football and surprising his friends with card tricks, the friend described him saying:

“He was the purest, most innocent child among us. I never even saw or heard him fight. He always tried to be kind to everyone. He never had problems with anyone. He loved his twin brother Doruk and his mother very much and valued them highly. He never disobeyed his mother and tried not to upset her.”

His friend, who said he was at home the evening the incident occurred and went to the scene as soon as he heard the news, stated, “What happened took place in a cafe........

© Medyascope