Davut Karaçam died a martyr’s death at the age of 51 in front of the General Staff Headquarters Building, on the night of the July 15th coup attempt.
Davut was following the news after he did his night prayers, when he heard the call of President Erdoğan. Ali, Davut son, claimed that his father called his close friends to the streets that night. Ali goes on to describe that night as follows, “My mother told me that my father was going out. I followed my father. We went out like a convoy. We followed the vehicles to wherever they went.”
“I was side by side with my father…”
Davut arrived at the General Staff Headquarters Building and continued down the road on foot because of the tanks aligned on the road. Ali stated that the first shooting started when the jets flied low and described those moments as follows, “Vehicles were aligned in front of the tanks. At that moment, they started shooting from behind. Then they started shooting at everyone from the top of the tank. I was side by side with my father at that moment. My father got shot and fell to the ground. He was shot by the tank in front of us. Many people were martyred along with my father in that moment.
When Davut was shot, his 25 year old son pulled him to the side of the road as tanks started moving onto the people, crushing the vehicles in its way. Davut was reciting Shahada in that moment. He was taken to a hospital in a car his son stopped on the way. He received CPR the whole way but died a martyr’s death around 03:00 AM.
“I would let him go again”
His wife Semra, stated that they will protect their government no matter what happens. She continued with saying, “I lost my husband but I wouldn’t try to stop my husband if it happened again today. I wouldn’t stop him, I would encourage him. In fact, I would go with him. I was going to go with him that day but I couldn’t as they went with another person’s car.”
Davut was a 51 year old tradesman who sold tarp and canvas. From Ankara and had 2 sons, ages 22 and 25. He was buried in Ankara on July 17th.
The name Martyr Davut Karaçam was given to an Anatolian imam hatip high school.
