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Doonside: Friends of 16-year-old killed planning for memorials

The death of a 16-year-old at Doonside earlier this month shocked the city to its core. Now his friends are trying to ensure some good can come out of this utter tragedy.

Tributes to young boy killed at Doonside

UPDATE

The friend of a Sydney teen who died allegedly at the hands of baby-faced teenage attackers in Doonside has set up a foundation in an attempt to prevent youth violence.

Ouwais Menzel, 16, and the deceased bonded over their shared love of the beach and surfing.

After grieving for a week he said he felt compelled to launch the Youth Against Violence group.

Launching on Monday August 30, he said the main aim was to prevent attacks and violence in general among younger people.

Youth Against Violence Logo. Picture: YAV
Youth Against Violence Logo. Picture: YAV

He said there would be a mural created on September 19 at Blacktown Youth Services Association.

A team of local artists will construct the art mural, with the financial backing of the Rap4Change organisation.

He said he is also in advanced talks to secure memorial gardens in both the Blacktown and Randwick local government areas. These memorial gardens will consist of two benches, a garden and a plaque in memory of the teen.

Ouwais said he also planned to open up a youth centre in western Sydney in March next year.

“With our youth centres we’re aiming to spread the message nationwide.

“These issues are all around Australia, every community is affected by youth violence and it’s time for myself and our team at YAV to create a proactive and effective approach to educating the youth.

“I lost my close friend and it’s time for all this to stop being swept under the carpet and ignored and we ask for community and services to support us, we are trying to create a long lasting change nationwide, enough is enough.”

EARLIER

By Anton Rose on August 19, 2021

In the face of tragedy a community in western Sydney is ensuring the death of a 16-year-old boy, allegedly at the hands of baby-faced teenage attackers in Doonside, never happens again.

The boy, who cannot legally be named, is the latest tragedy stemming from warring violent street gangs across the Harbour City.

One of the boy’s friends Ouwais Menzel is now spearheading a campaign to erect two memorials to pay tribute to him and youth centres aimed at getting teens off the streets and onto the right path.

The boy died on August 7 after allegedly being lured to a home by Kayla Dawson, 19, where five minors aged 13 to 15 are accused by police of violently bashing him to death over a pair of stolen AirPods.

The boy, pictured, left a lasting memory on friends and locals across Sydney.
The boy, pictured, left a lasting memory on friends and locals across Sydney.

His death reverberated around Australia, with $50,000 raised so far to fund his farewell and tributes pouring in from as far as Perth.

Mr Menzel said thousands of people have now committed to a raft of projects in memory of the young boy, who grew up in South Coogee and recently moved to Newtown.

Two memorials, one in Doonside and another in the eastern suburbs, are in the pipeline as well as a youth centre in western Sydney.

“(The support) shows the community is ready to back this up, they want their future generations and youths to be educated on youth violence and gang crime,” Mr Menzel said.

A temporary memorial remains at the Doonside home where he died. Picture: Jonathan Ng
A temporary memorial remains at the Doonside home where he died. Picture: Jonathan Ng
But his friends are looking for something more permanent. Picture: Jonathan Ng
But his friends are looking for something more permanent. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“We want one (memorial) in Doonside in the community for where it happened and we’re thinking Coogee, Maroubra or Bondi for somewhere near where he grew up.

“With the youth centres we’re trying to get an outreach program nationwide, we’re trying to spread it around to Australia.

“The first one we will build in the next six to 12 months, that location will likely be in Blacktown.”

Friends from the eastern suburbs remembered him as the “loveable beach boy” with a boogie board.
Friends from the eastern suburbs remembered him as the “loveable beach boy” with a boogie board.
$50k has been raised so far to fund his funeral. Picture: Sam Ruttyn
$50k has been raised so far to fund his funeral. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Menzel said he took the first week after the boy’s death to grieve with and support the family before emerging at last Friday night’s vigil to speak for the family, who are still in shock.

“I was a long-time friend of (the boy) I’ve known him for five years and we grew up in South Coogee together,” he said.

“It was a shock to me as well, I wasn’t really involved in the first week because I needed to grieve but I came out on Friday night.

“(The family) wanted someone to step up on their behalf but they couldn’t do it themselves.”

ANTON.ROSE@NEWS.COM.AU

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/blacktown-advocate/doonside-friends-of-16yearold-killed-planning-for-memorials/news-story/040d7d8085cfac170a210edf8a3deb1a