An autistic 15-year-old was thrilled when 2 girls messaged saying they wanted to be friends, then the fake meet-up left him too scared to leave home

A 15-year-old boy with autism and epilepsy was targeted in a violent ambush by a group of teenagers in Stawell. The incident occurred near a train station, where the boy had gone expecting to meet two girls he had been speaking with on Snapchat. Instead of a friendly hangout, he was met by three boys who proceeded to assault him and steal his shoes.

As reported by the NY Post, footage of the attack shows the victim attempting to walk away before he is shoved to the ground and punched. One individual held the boy down and struck his head while others kicked his face and stomach. 

Despite a girl in the group shouting, “Not the head,” the attackers continued their assault. At one point, the person filming the incident demanded the victim remove his footwear. The teenager behind the camera said, “Take your shoes off right now … take your f*** shoes off.”

The police have arrested three boys

The victim, clearly confused, asked the group for their identity and even asked about their shoe size before being struck again. After he finally removed his shoes, the person filming thanked him and told him to “get the f*** out of here.” The boy asked, “Who are you? I don’t know you,” which resulted in a final kick to his face. The entire ordeal lasted just over a minute and left the victim with soft tissue damage and potential head injuries.

His mother, who had allowed him to go out believing he was meeting friends, only learned of the situation after receiving a call from a paramedic’s phone. She noted that her son is now suffering from nightmares and is too afraid to leave their home. 

She expressed her distress regarding the incident, stating, “I’m just lucky to have him alive … he’s having nightmares.” She further added, “It makes me feel sick, it makes me feel unsafe … no kid should go through what my son went through.”

Police from the Northern Grampians Crime Investigation Unit moved quickly to address the situation. They executed four search warrants in the area and arrested three boys, aged 14 and 15. These individuals have been charged with robbery, affray, theft, and recklessly causing injury. They are scheduled to appear in a children’s court at a later date.

Authorities are still looking into the incident, and a fourth boy is expected to be interviewed soon. Superintendent Dan Davidson emphasized that local police have been working hard to hold those responsible accountable. He stated, “Since last Monday, local uniform police and detectives have been working tirelessly to identify those involved and hold them to account, and this important work will continue.”

While officials believe this to be an isolated event, they are taking steps to reassure the public. Superintendent Davidson noted, “There is never any excuse for violence in our community, and we will not accept it in any form.” Residents in the Stawell area can expect to see increased police patrols in the coming days to help deter further anti-social behavior and ensure the community feels secure.