Assaulted actor recounts terrifying moments: 'I was going to die'

The incident took place on the Ankara direction of the TEM Highway, near the Sultan Orhan neighborhood in the Gebze district. According to allegations, a truck in motion first squeezed the car driven by actor Mehmet Akif Akdeniz (25) and then cut in front of him. A dispute broke out between the parties after Akdeniz stated he would file a police complaint. The driver and a passenger who got out of the vehicle assaulted the young actor. The fight ended when bystanders intervened. Upon notification, health and police teams were dispatched to the scene. Akdeniz, who was injured, was taken to the hospital after receiving initial treatment.

"I THINK I WOULD HAVE DIED THERE"

Making a statement on his social media account, Mehmet Akif Akdeniz described what he went through as follows:

"Some people really have no conscience. Should I have thanked the truck driver who squeezed me at 130 kilometers per hour and cut me off instead of warning him? Should I have said, 'Well done, driver, keep it up. There is a family with 3 children ahead, run them over'? When he saw that I was recording a video, he squeezed me until he forced me into the emergency lane. To make him afraid, I said, 'I called the police, they are coming. I have video recording and photos.' He walked towards me saying, 'I went to prison because of bastards like you, they recorded videos and shared them. You share it too, I'll go to jail again, what of it?' I pushed him because he got too close to me. Then he tried to hit me. I defended myself. Then 3 more people got out of the truck. They knocked me to the ground and started kicking and punching my face, eyes, neck, and back. If another truck driver hadn't intervened, I think I would have died there. They continued to attack even while I was trying to escape and take refuge in my car."

"YOU ARE NORMALIZING ATTEMPTS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES"

In the continuation of his statement, Akdeniz also reacted to those on social media who downplayed the incident, saying, "Those of you who comment on every event without interpreting, reading, or understanding it correctly, and without it happening to you, saying 'It served you right, brother, don't get involved with people, what's it to you'... I will file a complaint against you as well because, just like those with this mentality, you are normalizing attempts on people's lives."

"MY RIGHT EYE HAS BLURRED VISION"

Furthermore, providing information about his health status, Mehmet Akif Akdeniz said, "I've moved past all the superficial wounds. I have unbearable pain in my neck. My right eye has blurred vision."

In a statement made by the Kocaeli Police Department, it was stated, "Regarding the incident in our Gebze district on the Anatolian Highway where individuals in a car and a truck argued due to a right-of-way dispute, and 2 individuals in the car and 2 individuals in the truck fought, judicial proceedings have been initiated after the 4 individuals involved were treated and filed complaints against each other, and their statements were taken in the capacity of complainant-suspect."