Guns N’ Roses honors memory of stabbing victim teen ahead of Istanbul concert

ISTANBUL

Just hours before their performance at Beşiktaş Tüpraş Stadium on June 2, American rock band Guns N' Roses honored Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, a 15-year-old Turkish-Italian boy who was fatally stabbed earlier this year in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district.

The globally renowned group shared a video set to their classic track “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” on their official social media accounts in memory of Minguzzi, writing “Rest in Peace” in the caption.

The heartfelt post came after the band learned that Minguzzi had been looking forward to attending their concert. Turkish artists quickly voiced support for the tribute, amplifying the post across their own platforms.

The victim's mother, Yasemin Minguzzi, also took to Instagram, posting a video of Guns N’ Roses’ ballad “This I Love,” along with the message: “We’ll be together at the Beşiktaş Tupraş Stadium, my son.”

The murder has shocked the nation and remains closely followed by the public. On Jan. 24, the teenager was stabbed five times by a peer, identified by the initials B.B., in a seemingly unprovoked attack. Another suspect, identified only by the initials U.B., reportedly kicked Minguzzi during the assault. The victim succumbed to his injuries 15 days later in the hospital.

Legal proceedings against both juvenile suspects began on April 10. Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of 18 to 24 years for “deliberately killing a child.” A separate investigation against B.B. was dropped after forensic analysis determined the knife used in the attack did not meet the legal threshold to be considered a prohibited weapon.

Notably, just hours before the trial’s first hearing, the victim's grave was desecrated. The next day, family lawyer Rezan Epözdemir shared screenshots of threatening messages allegedly sent by individuals linked to the assailants. He stated that the family has received multiple threats since the killing.

The murder of Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi by strangers with no apparent motive has sparked national outrage and renewed debate over the sentencing limits for juvenile offenders. Under Turkish law, individuals under 18 cannot be sentenced to life imprisonment, prompting calls for reform.