Yücel Namık K., who was arrested for allegedly killing a 52-year-old man with a gun in Antalya over an argument over a 2,400 lira debt issue, appeared before the judge for the first time. Yücel Namık K. claimed that the person approached him with a knife and said, "I did not shoot to kill or injure. I shot to scare." Witnesses of the incident said that as the defendant left the scene with the gun, he said, "If the knife is drawn, this will be the end."
The incident took place on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at around 08:00 on the first floor of an apartment building on Güllük Street in Kızılsaray District of Muratpaşa district. According to the information obtained, Yücel Namık K. (69) and Yakup Önal (52), who were said to have a receivables issue, met at a workplace used as a coffeehouse on the street. Önal arrived in front of the apartment building where the coffeehouse was located by commercial taxi and entered with Yücel Namık K. After a while, the argument that started between the two escalated. Yücel Namık K. shot Önal with the gun he had with him. While Önal, who was hit by two of the bullets, collapsed to the ground, Yücel Namık K. fled the scene.
Police and medical teams were dispatched to the address upon the notice of citizens who heard gunshots. The teams found Yakup Önal motionless in the kitchen area of the flat, covered in blood. Upon check-up by medical teams, it was determined that Önal had died.
Thereupon, Antalya Police Department Public Order Branch Directorate Homicide Bureau Chief, Crime Prevention and Investigation Bureau Chief and Crime Scene Investigation Branch Directorate teams were directed to the scene. Following the activities of the public prosecutor and crime scene investigation teams, Önal's lifeless body was taken to the morgue of the Antalya Forensic Medicine Institute for autopsy.
After escaping, he returned to Antalya and surrendered.
Police teams launched an operation to capture Yücel Namık K., who escaped after the incident, and determined the location of the suspect at night. Yücel Namık K., who was taken into custody, was sent to the courthouse after his procedures at the police station and his health check. Yücel Namık K., who was taken to the criminal judgeship of peace after his statement at the prosecutor's office, was sent to prison for "deliberate murder".
The trial of Yücel Namık K. on charges of "intentional murder" and "purchasing, carrying or possessing unlicensed firearms and bullets" began at Antalya 1st High Criminal Court. The detained defendant Yücel Namık K., relatives and lawyers of the parties attended the first hearing.
Making his defense at the hearing, Yücel Namık K. stated that he knew Yakup Önal about a month before the incident and claimed that the disagreement between them arose from a paid game. Stating that money should be given to the winner at the end of the game, Yücel Namık K. said, "When I asked for the money, he did not give it with various excuses. Afterwards, I did not pursue the money. When we met on the day of the incident, I asked for 2 thousand 400 TL money. We talked on the balcony of the kitchen section. He took the knife from the kitchen counter and walked towards me. So I took out the gun from my waist and fired two shots. I did not notice that Yakup was injured."
Yücel Namık K. said that he went to his girlfriend's house after the incident and threw the gun in the trash, and then he set out to visit his ex-partner in Afyonkarahisar. Stating that he learned that his friend was in prison when he reached Afyonkarahisar, Yücel Namık K. claimed that he returned to Antalya and surrendered to the police station. Yücel Namık K. said, "I did not shoot to kill or injure. When I returned to Antalya, I learned that he was dead. I shot to scare him. I wish such an incident had not happened, I regret and feel sad. I always carry a gun because of my enemies because I run a bar and my brother died before. A gun is not carried to show off."
Yakup Önal's mother, Hayriye Önal, who was connected to the hearing via Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS), stated that she filed a complaint against the defendant and said, "I am a plaintiff, I want a life sentence. He killed my son deliberately and innocently." Önal's older brother, Kadir Önal, claimed that the incident was planned and said, "If there was an execution, we would want him to be executed. This is a premeditated murder. There is no reason. He followed and killed my brother. We want aggravated life imprisonment."
Murat Çelik, who was heard as a witness at the hearing, stated that he was in the hall with other people at the time of the incident and said, "A gunshot was heard from the balcony. As we were walking towards the corridor, Yücel was coming towards us. He said, 'If the knife is drawn, this will be the end,' and walked away. The other friend was lying bent over on the balcony. I did not see any knife near the victim."
"There was a receivables issue of 2-3 thousand liras"
Abdülkadir A., the owner of the café, also said that on the morning of the incident, first Yakup Önal and then Yücel Namık K. came to his workplace. Abdülkadir A. stated that there was a debt issue between the two, worth 2-3 thousand liras, and said: "First Yakup and then Yücel came at around 07:00 in the morning. There was a debt issue between them worth 2-3 thousand liras. When they started arguing, I said, 'Don't argue here, go out.' I said to one of the friends, 'Go after them, see what they are doing.' Until the friend left, I heard a gunshot. When I heard the gunshot, the victim heard the gunshot. We went to him, he didn't have a knife with him. Both of them were drunk. As Yücel left, he said, 'If the knife is pulled, this will be the result.' I did not see Yücel with a gun until the day of the incident.
The court decided to eliminate the missing issues in the file and to continue the detention of the defendant and postponed the hearing. - ANTALYA