Newsletters
A man with reported psychological problems attacked his family with weapons and claimed to have poisoned their food with cyanide in the northwestern Turkish province of Edirne on Wednesday, leaving all four family members hospitalized.
The incident occurred in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of Havsa district, where O.C. allegedly told his family after dinner that he had added cyanide to their meal, showing them what appeared to be a cyanide packet.
"I put cyanide in your food," the suspect reportedly told his relatives, according to local reports. The statement caused panic among family members, who rushed to bathrooms to try to vomit.
The suspect then locked the doors and began attacking his family members. He first sprayed pepper spray on his brother K.C. in the bathroom before stabbing him. He then attacked his mother S.C. with an axe, causing severe injuries.
During the assault, O.C. also set fire to the house. His father S.C. broke down a door and poured hot oil on his son's face to subdue him, injuring his own hand in the process of breaking the door.
Police and fire department teams responded to emergency calls. Firefighters extinguished the blaze before it could spread significantly.
All four family members were taken to hospitals for treatment. The mother, who suffered the most severe injuries from the axe attack, was transferred to a hospital in Istanbul for specialized care. Family members are also being monitored for possible cyanide poisoning.
Edirne province borders both Bulgaria and Greece, making it a key transit point in Türkiye's Thrace region. The Havsa district, where the attack occurred, lies approximately 20 kilometers from the Bulgarian border.
Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident. The cyanide poisoning claims are still being examined by investigators.
Türkiye has seen several domestic violence incidents make national headlines in recent years, though cases involving alleged chemical poisoning remain relatively rare.
4 min read
