A 14-year-old male has been charged with assault following an incident in which a man sustained serious injuries and was left convulsing on the ground due to an alleged rock-throwing altercation at a fast-food restaurant parking lot.
Note: The content of this report includes a video and images that may be distressing to some viewers.
Authorities reported that the incident occurred on Monday afternoon outside a Hungry Jacks in Falcon, a suburb located south of Perth. The confrontation involved a group of minors and a 25-year-old man.
During the exchange, the man was reportedly struck with rocks, and the 14-year-old allegedly threw a rock that caused the man to fall face down onto the asphalt, rendering him unconscious. Police noted that the man and the group of juveniles were not acquainted prior to the incident.
The event was recorded and shared on social media, with at least six young individuals seen surrounding the man in the parking lot, some capturing the moment on their mobile devices. For legal reasons, the ABC has blurred the identities of those featured in the video.
According to Mandurah’s acting senior sergeant, Jamie Raper, the footage is quite disturbing. “It’s incredibly horrific, and understandably, the community is quite upset by it,” Sgt Raper remarked.
He indicated that there may have been an earlier confrontation within the restaurant where the juveniles were allegedly bothering the staff, prompting the man to intervene to protect them. “We do not encourage individuals to involve themselves in these situations; we prefer that they step back and contact emergency services,” Sgt Raper emphasized.
The injured man was transported to Peel Health Campus with significant facial injuries but has since been released. Sgt Raper stated that he will require ongoing medical care and faces a lengthy recovery process.
Following the incident, police have arrested and charged the 14-year-old boy with assault causing bodily harm, and he is scheduled to appear in court later this month. Sgt Raper also mentioned that law enforcement is aware of the identities of other individuals in the group and is pursuing further investigation.
