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Istanbul prosecutor Ercan Kayhan was killed on Wednesday evening in a knife attack while dining in Cekmekoy’s Omerli neighborhood.
According to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the 58-year-old was attacked around 21:15 in a local restaurant. Nineteen-year-old suspect Mustafa Can Gul approached him and stabbed him in the neck.
Emergency teams arrived at the scene shortly after the incident. Despite rapid intervention, Kayhan died before he could be transferred to hospital.
Police detained Gul at the restaurant together with the weapon, and prosecutors immediately launched a criminal investigation. His body was later taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute morgue to determine the exact cause of death.
The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office stressed that Kayhan had never led any investigation into Gul, noting that the incident arose from a personal dispute rather than professional reasons.
Authorities reported that Kayhan and Gul had a personal conflict dating back to the suspect’s time working as a waiter in the same restaurant.
During that period, they had a disagreement that turned into lasting hostility, although the exact reason remains unclear. Investigators confirmed that Gul returned to the restaurant on Wednesday evening where he carried out the fatal attack against Kayhan.
Unconfirmed reports suggested Kayhan may have fired Gul due to drug use, but officials have not confirmed this claim.
Media outlets also circulated a photograph showing the two men together in the past, which drew widespread attention to their unusual personal connection. The image quickly became part of the national conversation surrounding the case.
Later reports indicated that Kayhan had tried to support Gul, helping him enroll in school and encouraging him to overcome drug addiction.
Kayhan’s family lawyer Selcuk Cevik said: “This person was using drugs. I told Ercan ‘Nothing will come of him,’ but he wanted to save him. He enrolled him in high school, supported his education, and tried to help him return to society.”
Despite these attempts and treating him almost "like a son," hostility later grew, with some suggesting it was linked to employment disputes.
The prosecutor’s office stated that Gul had three prior records for violence against women, stalking, and violation of home privacy.
He previously served a sentence in Maltepe Prison between November 2024 and January 2025. These records fueled further public concern after the killing of a senior judicial figure who had handled many important cases.
Security forces sealed off the restaurant and surrounding streets after the murder. Entrances and exits were strictly controlled as police collected evidence from the scene.
Türkiye Daily also noted that the restaurant where the attack occurred is located right next to a gendarmerie station, a detail that sparked further debate on security conditions. The Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is leading the ongoing investigation.
In his statement to prosecutors, Gul described the attack as unplanned: “We both reached for the knife on the table. It ended up in my hand, and I stabbed him in the neck out of panic. When he fell to the ground, I don’t know why, but in a moment of fear I cut his throat. My intention was not to kill him.”
Despite these claims, he was charged with aggravated murder and ordered to jail. Gul also told investigators that the dispute was linked to unpaid wages, alleging: “Two years ago I asked Kayhan for the $3,640 (₺150,000) he owed me. He refused to pay, and we argued. After that he had me fired.”
Gul also alleged mistreatment by Kayhan but his accusations remain unverified.
Kayhan’s longtime friend and family lawyer Selcuk Cevik rejected suggestions of a financial dispute: “The claims about debt or hostility are not true. This man was a drug addict. Ercan always tried to help him. He wanted to work at the restaurant, but the owner refused. He blamed Ercan and carried out the attack with a knife he took from the counter.”
Gul’s parents, however, presented conflicting claims.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul visited the restaurant after the attack and received updates from officials.
The Governor’s Office released a statement that read: “Our prosecutor Ercan Kayhan lost his life in a knife attack in Cekmekoy. The assailant Mustafa Can Gul was caught at the scene. A comprehensive investigation has been launched. We offer condolences to his family, loved ones, and the judicial community. Our nation mourns.”
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc also condemned the killing, saying: “The attack deeply saddened us all. The suspect is in custody, and the investigation continues in all aspects.”
Kayhan’s death has drawn messages of condolence from across the judiciary, reflecting the shock caused by the murder of a sitting prosecutor.
Kayhan worked in Corum, Gebze, and Istanbul Anadolu courthouses during his long career, handling several significant cases.
In June 2025 he was reassigned to Hatay, but following his appeal, the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors kept him in Istanbul. At the time of his death, he was serving at the General Investigation Bureau of the Caglayan Courthouse.
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