Ten youths charged with attempted murder over alleged gang assault of teen

Ten youths aged 15 to 19 have been charged with attempted murder following an alleged gang assault that has left a Brisbane boy on life support and triggered fears of retaliation attack.

Police have made multiple arrests linked to a pack attack that left a teen on life support.

Ten youths aged 15 to 19 have been charged with attempted murder following an alleged gang assault that has left a Brisbane boy on life support and triggered fears of retaliation attack.

The boy, 17, remains on life support in hospital after the assault at the weekend in Railway Terrace, Milton.

Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said the victim was of African heritage and was gravely ill in hospital.

“He is unconscious, he is in a coma, he has life threatening head injuries,” he said.

Police allege the boy was assaulted while he slept by up to 12 people about 3am last Saturday.

Det Supt Fleming said there were 12 people of interest in the investigation, who he said were also African, with their ages ranging from 15 to 19.

Police say a group of people rented an apartment at a Milton apartment last Friday and there was a social gathering before many left.

At 3.15 the following morning a group of 12 people arrived and were let into the apartment.

“We will allege that while in the apartment this group of young men violently and viciously assaulted the victim,” Det Supt Fleming said.

“We will allege the incident was a cowardly attack by a group upon a young defenceless man.”

Most of the alleged offenders lived in western suburbs in Brisbane, near the border with Ipswich, and some in central south Brisbane.

“These young people, we will allege identify with that geographic western suburbs of south Brisbane,” he said.

Supt Fleming described the alleged attack as abhorrent.

Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming. Pic Annette Dew

“In terms of motive, the reasons for the crime on Saturday morning are still to be determined,” Supt Fleming said.

“But we suspect there is some form of potential retaliation between two groups of these young people.

“But the reason for that could never justify what has been done to the victim.”

Det Supt Fleming said some of the people allegedly involved had labelled themselves as members of a gang.

“Some of the young people involved label themselves as being members of a gang and in any common language demonstrating the attributes of a gang,” he said.

Det Supt Fleming said “some people had spoken on the quiet” to police that they feared there could be retaliation.

“It looks like the people we will allege are involved in this are part of a group, a gang,” he said.

“I’m not going to name the gang. And the reason I’m not going to name the gang is because we know from experience overseas, particularly in the United States, is that once you start doing that you risk this becoming tit-for-tat and some sort of notoriety for these young people.”

He said there were was no organisation or structure to the group.

But police will allege they came together and committed the assault before leaving together.

“I encourage people if that (thoughts of retaliation) is happening, to stop,” Det Supt Fleming said.

“We will work hand in hand with the African community if that is happening.

“A young man through no fault of his own lies in ICU in a critical condition.”

Police have set up an incident centre at the Brisbane City police station.

Det Supt Fleming said there is no threat to the community.