Teen killed in fight was victim of ‘ambush’, says grieving family
The family of a teenager killed in a vicious brawl say he was targeted after straightening his life out, and was “not part of a gang”.
National
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The grieving family of a Melbourne teen bashed to death in a railway carpark say he was the victim of an “ambush”.
Paramedics were called to St Albans in northwest Melbourne early Sunday morning when Aguer Akech, 17, collapsed after being attacked during a brawl between two groups.
The teen had been chased and allegedly attacked by a group wielding “sticks, fence posts and knives” outside Keilor Plains railway station about 1.30am, according to Victorian Police. Aguer was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.
A relative, John Kon, told 9 News yesterday that Aguer was the “victim of refusing to be a part of the bad boys”.
“It was an ambush, I would say that,” he said.
His distressed family said Aguer had a troubled past and had previously spent time in a juvenile detention facility, but had managed to turn his life around.
Aguer’s distraught mother Martha Mayola wept as she described her son as a “very good boy”, telling a reporter that he was “not part of a gang”.
The mother of a teenager stabbed to death in St Albans has bravely spoken of her grief, saying her son was the victim of an ambush. @CGreenbank9 #9News pic.twitter.com/DWCoFAiDsZ
— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) December 23, 2019
Victoria Police believe Aguer was fatally assaulted during a brawl between two groups of young people. It’s believed the groups met in St Albans about 11.30pm on Saturday, and were on the east side Keilor Plains station, near East Esplanade.
A witness who was with Aguer in the hours before his death told 9 News the teen had his car stolen at a soccer game on Saturday. He said the teen was told to come to the station to retrieve the vehicle.
When they arrived he claimed they were greeted by a group armed with weapons. The witness said he and Aguer were unarmed.
“We didn’t have anything to fight with,” the witness said. “We’re not in a gang.”
Victoria Police said yesterday in a statement the two groups had clashed over a dispute about a vehicle. After first meeting at the station, the groups went to a nearby residence in Fox St, St Albans, about 1.20am. A verbal alternation then broke out at the address.
Shortly after, about 1.30am, a number of people from one group allegedly chased the other group back to the railway carpark. Police believe Aguer was among those being chased.
“It’s believed a number of people involved in the altercation were armed with a variety of weapons including sticks, fence posts and knives,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
After the chase, the two groups dispersed, and one group, including Aguer, made its way onto the train platform, some members crossing a pedestrian walkway onto Regan St. Here Aguer, fatally injured, collapsed and emergency services were called. He received treatment but died at the scene.
Males from the second group left the scene in three different vehicles. One of these included a silver 2005 Holden Commodore sedan with South Australian registration S111 AZI — the vehicle believed to have been the subject of the dispute between the groups.
Police are now appealing for anyone with information or footage that may help their investigation to come forward.
The homicide detective leading the case said the teen lost his life after a dispute between two groups escalated with “tragic consequences”.
Police have urged anyone who heard or witnessed any suspicious activity in the area, between 11pm Saturday and 2am Sunday to come forward.
Originally published as Teen killed in fight was victim of ‘ambush’, says grieving family