A Melbourne father has tragically died after he was allegedly assaulted near a primary school attended by his son. The 63-year-old man from Clyde North passed away in hospital on Thursday morning, nearly a week after the attack at a reserve behind Strathaird Primary School in Narre Warren South on the previous Friday.
Details of the assault
Two men allegedly attacked the victim with their fists and a metal pole or torch around 3:15 pm, shortly before school pick-up. Witnesses reported that hundreds of students and parents saw the incident unfold. One witness recounted, "These two 20-year-olds were yelling at this man and then all of a sudden he was hit to the ground."
The victim's son attends the school and reportedly witnessed the attack. The father was rushed to hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries six days later. Police believe the victim and the alleged attackers were known to each other.
Charges and investigation
A 21-year-old man of no fixed address and a 22-year-old from Narre Warren South were initially charged with recklessly causing serious injury. Following the victim's death, police stated that further charges will be considered after the results of a postmortem examination.
The reserve, located just metres from the school, features a large oval and is popular with local dog walkers. It is also close to a childcare centre and surrounded by residential homes. A father with two children at the school said families had been shaken by the incident, noting that the school had sent several notifications encouraging anyone affected to seek support. "When you hear something happen to your kids' school, it's always stressful," he added.
Community response
A Department of Education spokesperson said authorities were aware of the "distressing incident" and their immediate focus was on supporting the school community. "The safety and wellbeing of students and staff is always our priority - those who witnessed the incident have been offered wellbeing support and the school is working closely with families," the spokesperson said.
Victoria's Deputy Premier Ben Carroll described the incident as a "complete tragedy." "What occurred here is a complete tragedy, and to think that it was witnessed by young children makes the tragedy even so much more worse," he said.
Both men remain in custody and are expected to return to court in July. The investigation remains ongoing.
