Chef reveals Jack Beasley’s final moments as 15-year-old charged with stabbing murder
As a 15-year-old boy is charged with murder, a chef who fought to keep Jack Beasley alive as he bled to death on a Surfers Paradise street from fatal stab wounds has revealed the teenager’s harrowing last words.
Crime & Justice
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A CHEF has told how he held a dying, frightened teen in his arms after he was allegedly stabbed in the chest with a hunting knife outside a busy Surfers Paradise supermarket on Friday.
“He just said ‘it hurts, it hurts … I don’t want to die,” a shaken Zac Saimoun said as he recounted the ordeal.
Vigil held for stabbing victim Jack Beasley after Surfers Paradise attack
Tributes flow for beloved footy player Jack Beasley after fatal stabbing
Parkwood teenager Jack Beasley, 17, was allegedly fatally stabbed and another teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was wounded in a fight with youths outside Surfers Paradise IGA about 8.15pm on Friday night.
Mr Saimoun, head chef and manager at Nicolini's Italian restaurant across Surfers Paradise Blvd from the shop, was clearing tables when he heard the fight erupt between about 10 males.
He said he dropped plates, leapt a barrier and ran across the road to help after Jack, who graduated from Pacific Pines State High School this year, was left for dead.
“I just heard the commotion and looked over – there was a big bunch of blokes wrestling and grabbing each other’s T-shirts and some punches,” Mr Saimoun said.
“Then everyone bailed, scattered.
“I saw one fellow clutching his chest and blood on his hands. I just ran over and helped him as best as I could.
“Everyone had left him, pretty much. I didn’t realise he’d been stabbed until I’ve seen all the blood when I got over there.
“I just kept the pressure on his wound and tried my best and started some CPR once he died. He went and he was gone … I gave him a bit of CPR and he came back.
“Then he went (died) again about five minutes later. The ambulance seemed to take forever.”
Mr Saimoun said he tried to keep Jack conscious and offered to call his mum.
“I knew it was pretty bad and I didn’t think he was going to make it,” he said. “I just feel for the family. It’s a tragedy, man. Some little sh-- has done this and probably jumped on the tram back to Brisbane. The cops told me they have a heap of trouble with kids coming down from Brisbane.”
Police said they were hunting a group from Logan, some of whom were believed to have arrived by tram.
Late yesterday after images circulated of the youths police wanted to speak to, three teenage males attended Beenleigh police station.
Last night a 15-year-old Waterford boy was charged with murder and acting with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
As tributes flowed, shattered family and friends gathered at Jack’s Parkwood home yesterday to comfort his parents, Brett and Belinda.
“They’re too devastated to talk – there’s nothing more tragic than losing a child,” a woman at the house said.
Mr Beasley yesterday changed his Facebook profile to a photo of him and the boy, first posted two years ago.
Yesterday a large group of Jack’s friends converged on the scene of the tragedy to pay their respects.
Weeping and hugging, they laid flowers where he was stabbed and wrote tributes on paper taped to a shop window as upbeat Christmas tunes rang out from a neighbouring business.
“We love you. always have, always will,” one friend wrote.
“You are a bright light in a lot of people’s lives. Thank you for being you in a world full of crazy. We will miss you forever and always xx.”
The Helensvale Hornets junior rugby league club, where Jack had played footy and his mum was a long-serving treasurer, also paid tribute on its Facebook page.
“He was a fantastic kid loved by all that knew him. We are absolutely devastated and lost for words. RIP Jack,” the club wrote.
An impromptu memorial was also held by students at Pacific Pines State High School.
A GoFundMe page was set up by family friend Natasha Evans to raise money for the Beasley family, with almost $7000 donated within hours.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I need to share that our beloved Beasley family have lost one of their own,” Ms Evans wrote.
“The boys were attacked in Surfers Paradise, resulting in Jack being taken from our lives...
“(The parents) are experiencing unimaginable pain as they grieve this terrible tragedy so please respect their privacy at this time.
“They will let everyone know when ready.
“Nothing will ever replace this precious life that was taken from us too early but all we can do is assist them financially, no matter how small the donation.”
The other boy remained in Gold Coast University Hospital with stab wounds to the chest and back but police said they had been able to speak with him about the incident.
Detective Acting Inspector Mark Procter said the groups involved in the fatal fight were not believed to have known each other.
“We believe words were exchanged before they got to Surfers Paradise Blvd,” he said.
Insp Procter appealed for witnesses, particularly those with footage.
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