A 14-year-old Australian boy has been criminally charged after shoving an elderly man off of a pier into dark waters in a shocking incident captured on camera by the teen’s companions.
Onlookers were forced to rescue the 79-year-old man, who could not swim after he was pushed off the Mornington Peninsula Pier near Melbourne on Sunday night, the New York Post reported.
The disturbing video was recorded by one of the teens in the group, showing the unruly mob egging each other on to cause trouble.
What kind of person thinks it is funny to push a 79 year old man off a pier into the water at 11.30pm at night?
— Menachem Vorchheimer (@MenachemV) January 16, 2024
Police have charged a 14 year old.
The elderly man, who could not swim, was helped from the water by 3 good samaritans.
Via @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/5MXrkmUBFI
“Go, go, go, go,” one of the boys can be heard saying when the group spotted the elderly man, who appeared to be standing at the edge of the peer alone.
The victim looked up at the mob before one of the teens brutally shoved him into the pitch-black water below.
“Yeah, the boys!” one teen shouts as the rest burst into laughter before the video ends.
Melbourne radio host Jacqui Felgate of the 3AW station reported that the Victoria Police told her the teens were known for “terrorizing residents” in the area.
Thankfully, the man was not seriously injured and was pulled from the water by witnesses, police said.
The unnamed perpetrator, 14, was charged on Tuesday with reckless endangerment and unlawful assault, according to the Post.
He is to make an appearance at a children’s court at a later date, which was not reported.
