A 15-year-old boy in Auckland was forced to jump into the sea to escape a violent and targeted attack by a group of teenagers, in an incident that has shocked the local community.
According to a report by Chris Marriner of Stuff, the assault took place on March 14 at a small cove at the base of Maungauika/North Head in Devonport, a location known for gatherings of young people. Police have since spoken to two alleged attackers, with one facing charges, while efforts continue to identify and locate others involved.
According to a family member, the gathering had been organised and promoted on social media, drawing more than 100 secondary school students to the secluded beach, where a bonfire had been lit.
The victim reportedly realised the danger shortly after arriving and sent a message to a family member saying, “I’m gonna die” before being surrounded and attacked. He was punched to the ground and subjected to a sustained assault, during which he was repeatedly kicked and stomped on, Stuff has reported.
Video footage of the incident, which has been reviewed but not published, shows the boy being struck multiple times, including blows to the head, while others can be heard urging one attacker to stop. The boy eventually managed to escape by running into the sea.
According to Stuff, the family member said the teen was in fear for his life and remained in the water for about 20 minutes, making his way around rocks toward Cheltenham Beach. He later sought help at a nearby home, where a resident brought him inside and placed him in a warm shower amid concerns about hypothermia.
Family members rushed to the scene after receiving his distress message and were told that some of the alleged attackers were armed and still searching for him.
Describing the attack, the family member said the group acted “like a pack of dogs” and that nothing justified the level of violence inflicted. Despite the severity of the assault, the teen escaped with relatively minor injuries, with a doctor reportedly calling it a miracle he was not more seriously hurt, as reported by Stuff.
However, concerns remain for his safety, as he attends the same North Shore school as at least two of the alleged attackers, who are still enrolled despite the school being informed of the incident.
The family member expressed anger over not being notified by the school and called for stronger action from both authorities and the community.
“I want it stopped, I want the locals to be so enraged that they start doing patrols,” she said. “They must hear the kids pulling up… How the hell are they not hearing this amount of noise?”, Stuff has quoted.
She added that “parents need to start standing up, and this needs to be stopped because kids are getting attacked everywhere,” as quoted by Stuff.
Police confirmed that investigations into the assault are ongoing.
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