A quiet Monday afternoon at a popular reserve in Rouse Hill, New South Wales, turned into a scene of horror this week. A teenage boy has lost his life, and another 15-year-old is behind bars charged with murder, following what police suspect may have been a robbery gone wrong.
Emergency services were called to Bruce Purser Reserve on Caballo Street at approximately 4:20 p.m. on Monday. Responders arrived to find a teenage boy suffering from a single, critical stab wound to his thigh.
In a heartbreaking detail revealed by police, a group of young girls who were in the park at the time rushed to the victim’s aid. One of the girls reportedly attempted to stem the massive bleeding by pressing her hand directly over the puncture wound.
Despite the desperate efforts of these bystanders and the paramedics who arrived shortly after, the boy could not be saved. He died at the scene.
Hills Area Commander Superintendent Naomi Moore praised the young women who ran toward the danger to help.
“It would have been a horrifically confronting situation for those people,” Supt. Moore told reporters. “I can only praise [them].”
The manhunt for the alleged attacker did not last long. Just hours after the incident, shortly before 7:00 p.m., a 15-year-old boy walked into Riverstone Police Station accompanied by a parent.
He was arrested and subsequently charged with murder. He was refused bail to appear in a children’s court on Tuesday.
“Robbery Gone Wrong”
While the investigation is in its early stages, police sources have indicated they are investigating robbery as a possible motive.
Superintendent Moore addressed the media on Monday night, clarifying that while it is too early to determine if the incident was gang-related, the attack does not appear to be random.
“I will say to you that I don’t believe it was random,” Moore stated. “There is some connection [between the boys], but that will take some time to draw out.”
Police also confirmed there is no known link to the nearby Rouse Hill High School.
Community in Shock
The incident has rattled the residents of Rouse Hill, an area typically known for its safety.
“It’s awful, absolutely awful. It’s not what we expect in this area,” resident David Lee told the press. “It’s so safe – or it has been.”
Another resident, Josh Bloomfield, expressed the anxiety parents in the area are now feeling. “You’re thinking, ‘Oh, well, my kids are going to be walking in the same area,’” he said. “Last night putting our kids to bed, we were trying to keep them from scrolling and seeing any news.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns offered his condolences, calling the event an “unimaginable loss,” while Federal Attorney-General and local MP Michelle Rowland stated she was “deeply saddened” by the tragic loss of a young life.