Parents of school shooter face trial over deadly April attack in Kahramanmaraş

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

Kahramanmaraş Ayser Çalık Middle School, where the school shooting took place (AA Photo)

A court in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş is set to begin the trial on Sept. 4 of the parents of the attacker responsible for a deadly school shooting that sent shockwaves across Türkiye.

In April, a student opened fire at his school, killing nine students and a teacher. The attack prompted the Education Ministry to introduce a broad range of security measures, from tighter controls at school entrances to psychological risk assessments for children.

The attacker, who died at the scene, used firearms belonging to his police officer father to carry out the assault.

The father, Uğur Mersinli, and mother, Peyman Pınar Mersinli, will appear before the court on Sept. 4 over alleged negligence that contributed to the attack.

The father is facing 10 aggravated life sentences for “intentional killing with possible intent” and up to 30 years in prison for “causing injury with possible intent.”

The mother is also being prosecuted with a request for up to 22.5 years in prison for “causing the deaths and injuries of multiple people through conscious negligence.”

In the indictment, prosecutors alleged that the father had failed to take necessary precautions despite being aware of his child’s psychological condition, self-harming behavior and interest in firearms.

The indictment further alleges that the father took the attacker to a shooting range and allowed him to handle firearms, kept numerous weapons at home in locations that were easily accessible and failed to adequately monitor his son’s digital activities.

Prosecutors argued that Mersinli was in a position to foresee that such circumstances could result in deaths and injuries.

The mother is accused of failing to seek the necessary medical assistance for her child despite warnings concerning his psychological problems. Prosecutors also alleged that she failed to exercise the necessary care and attention even though she could foresee the potential danger.

Both defendants denied the accusations in their statements to investigators.