İzmir taxi driver's killer sentenced to life in prison

IZMIR

A 19-year-old assailant who fatally shot taxi driver Oğuz Erge in İzmir has been sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment in a case that has sent shockwaves through society.

Delil Aysal was also handed an additional 17 years and eight months in prison for charges including aggravated manslaughter, aggravated plunder and carrying an unlicensed weapon.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of Jan. 31 when Aysal hailed Erge's taxi, directing him through various neighborhoods. Upon reaching their destination around 3:30 a.m., Aysal fired three shots at Erge before robbing him of his phone and earphones.

Surveillance footage from the taxi revealed Erge's compassionate gesture towards Aysal, explaining that he wouldn't normally accept passengers at such late hours but was reluctant to leave him out in the cold.

The assailant, disguised with a face mask and hood, left Erge with the chilling words, "You shouldn't trust some people."

The driver was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries on Feb. 1, as confirmed by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. Simultaneous police actions led to Aysal's arrest, with the weapon used in the crime seized.

The incident sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with taxi drivers lamenting the lack of personal safety in their line of work. In a show of solidarity, around 250 taxi drivers escorted Erge's body to the forensic medicine institute morgue in İzmir, where they applauded in tribute to their fallen colleague.

Initially, Aysal denied premeditated robbery and assault, claiming the incident was "spontaneous."

Since the murder, taxi drivers have been rallying for enhanced safety measures, advocating for mandatory bulletproof cab walls in vehicles to protect against violent attacks.