Hearing held in schoolyard murder case

The incident occurred around 02:00 on the night of May 2 in the yard of Gaziosmanpaşa Middle School in Fatih neighborhood. While Duru Pakarda (15), a graduate of the same school, was sitting with her friends, high school student K.C.A. (17) began playing with a gun he had with him. It is alleged that the weapon discharged suddenly, and the bullet struck Duru in the chest. Pakarda, who was seriously injured, was taken to Trakya University Faculty of Medicine Hospital but could not be saved.

K.C.A., who was arrested following the incident, attended the hearing at the Edirne 3rd High Criminal Court via SEGBİS from the Tekirdağ Prison where he is being held. In his defense, he stated that he had no intention of killing Duru and that he had obtained the weapon via "Telegram".

NOTABLE STATEMENTS FROM LAWYERS

Duru's family and their lawyers argued that the incident should be evaluated under the crime of "intentional killing" and demanded that the defendant be punished in the harshest manner possible.

Attorney Süleyman Erel from the Istanbul Bar Association suggested that the incident could be a premeditated murder, stating, "The absence of fingerprints on the weapon and phones, the fact that some materials were deleted, and witness statements indicating that the defendant tried to flee point to planning."

Mertcan Yassıtepe, one of the lawyers from the Edirne Bar Association, drew attention to the increasing crime rates and gang activity in the city, stating, "This case should be evaluated not just as an individual crime, but as a social warning."

Father Cem Pakar said, "Criminal organizations are using children and dragging them into crime. This is not just a child's mistake. Families should also be put on trial." Mother Pakarda, stating that her daughter's dream was to be a mother and that she was a very reliable and brave child, said, "Our children in Edirne must be protected."

Attorney Harika Türkay Taybıllı, one of the lawyers from the Edirne Bar Association, noted that she would follow the case, saying, "A young flower was plucked from its branch. It is very sad for us. You have just witnessed her mother's tears. While we mothers cannot even entrust our children from our right eye to our left, unfortunately, some mothers are forced to bury their children. We do not want to bury our children."

The court adjourned the hearing to October 16, 2025, to address deficiencies in the case file.