# 2024 Eskisehir mosque stabbing

On August 12, 2024, a mass stabbing attack took place outside of Tepebaşı Cami Mosque in Eskisehir, Turkey. The suspect behind the attack has been identified as 18-year-old Arda Küçükyetim. The attack was livestreamed on Kick through a camera attached to the suspect's vest.
Five people were stabbed and injured before Küçükyetim was detained by the police, one of these people was hospitalized in serious condition, but has since then recovered. Küçükyetim's trial is set to proceed in Eskişehir's 6th High Criminal Court. He is charged of five counts of attempted murder and creating public panic, if convicted he may face up to 108 years in prison.

## Suspect

Arda Küçükyetim was a self-described national socialist, prior to the attack he created a Telegram chat where he had a friend share the file containing his manifesto, documents written by other killers as well as photos of himself. Küçükyetim claimed in the manifesto that he was motivated by accelerationism, described people as "insects" and praised various white supremacist terrorists as well as other mass murderers, including the perpetrators of the Oklahoma City bombing, 2011 Norway attacks, 2017 Las Vegas shooting, and Christchurch mosque shootings. The manifesto also contained a warning of an incoming societal collapse and encouraged the reader to help achieve it using violent methods. Küçükyetim described his attack as a "lone wolf" act that was meant to "motivate future generations."

## Stabbing

On August 12, 2024, Arda Küçükyetim formatted all of his devices and arrived at the vicinity of the mosque, once there he went behind a local barbershop and put on a helmet, ski mask and tactical vest, then started a livestream. He walked to the tea garden of the mosque where he pulled out a camping knife and slit a mans throat, leaving him in critical condition before attempting to chase down other people. He would go on to attack people at random in the surrounding areas of the mosque, inflicting minor injuries to four more people before getting chased and subdued by the police. At the end of the livestream, a policeman was seen taking off his tactical vest as he lied on the ground handcuffed and surrounded by bystanders and police. He was also armed with pepper spray and an axe at his waist that he did not use.

## Victims

The victims were identified as Tevfik Arslan (73), Cumali Özemek (57), Naşit Özyürek (89), Metin Korkmaz (66) and Cemal Altıntaş (53). Özemek was the most heavily-injured one, suffering a slash to his neck. He recovered after 8 days' hospitalization.

## Investigation

According to authorities, Küçükyetim had initially planned to carry out a bombing attack but changed his mind due to safety concerns at home. Küçükyetim also confessed to investigators that the driving force behind the attack was his hatred for humanity, and not religion. He stated, "I did this because I do not like people and wanted to make a noise". Küçükyetim also claimed that he felt inspired by a 16 year old from Eastern Europe he had contact with, the teenager shared plans to commit a school shooting in their own country and allegedly encouraged Küçükyetim's plot. Cybercrime investigators were unable to identify the person Küçükyetim communicated with.
A psychiatric evaluation verified Küçükyetim's criminal responsibility, and an investigation found that he was fully aware of his actions. Prosecutors stated that his acts are ideologically motivated violence but not terrorism. Küçükyetim stated that he had no contact with any terrorist organizations and regretted the attack, he also revealed that he had tried to receive help from a hospital's psychiatric service about seven months prior to the attack in an effort to overcome his depression, but had stopped taking his medication afterward for unknown reasons.
Authorities charged Küçükyetim with five counts of “premeditated attempted murder” and “creating fear and panic among the public.”, he faces a maximum sentence of 108 years in prison if convicted. A local Turkish court imposed a ban on media coverage of the event until the investigation is completed.