Victim father slapped in front of his children speaks out: 'To satisfy his ego'

In the Gebze district of Kocaeli, a man walking his children to school was grabbed by the throat and slapped in front of them after he warned a driver who sped past them.

Taking action following the incident, teams detained the individual, and the attacker, whose processing was completed, was arrested and sent to prison. The victimized man spoke to A Haber about the terrifying moments he experienced.

"HE FORCED ME TO APOLOGIZE"

"We couldn't get out of the way and were stuck between two vehicles. He was coming toward us from the opposite direction at a very high speed; I raised my arm and said, 'Slow down, how are you driving? There are children here.' His brother intervened by hitting my arm.

The driver got out toward me quickly and grabbed my face with both hands. I was holding my child's hand; my child's hand was shaking.

My son was looking around behind me, knowing a fight might break out. He told me, 'You will apologize.' Even though I was in the right, I swallowed my pride and apologized so that a fight wouldn't break out in front of my children and their mental state wouldn't be harmed.

Everyone, whether they knew us or not, supported us, and I would like to thank them as well," he said.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The incident occurred in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of Kocaeli's Gebze district. A father, identified as Ö.K., who was walking to school with his two children, had verbally warned the driver of a luxury SUV that sped past them. Angered by the father's reaction, the driver continued for a while, then turned back and cut the father off.

The driver got out of the vehicle and entered into a brief argument with the father, who was standing with his children. As the argument escalated, the driver lost control and, after grabbing the father by the throat, slapped him in front of his children.

The driver, identified as O.C. (33), and his 17-year-old brother, C.C., were detained by police teams yesterday. O.C. and his brother C.C., whose statements regarding the incident were taken at the Gebze District Police Department, were referred to the Gebze Courthouse.

"I AM SHUTTING HIS MOUTH"

When asked, "Why did you do it?" the suspect O.C., who was referred to the courthouse, replied, "I am shutting the mouth of a man who is swearing; look at the video carefully. Comment accordingly. I have my own child with me, he is swearing."

ARRESTED

Minister Tunç announced on his social media account that the attacker in question had been arrested. In his statement, Tunç said, "Any act of violence that disturbs the peace and security of our society, endangers traffic safety, and harms the mental development of our children can never go unpunished before the law.

Within the scope of the judicial investigation initiated by the Gebze Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the physical assault on a citizen by a speeding driver in front of his children in the Gebze district of our Kocaeli province; the suspect driver, who was detained for the crimes of 'Intentional Injury and Endangering Traffic Safety,' has been arrested by the Criminal Judgeship of Peace, and a house arrest order has been issued for the suspect under the age of 18."