Aidan Becker remembered as hero after tragic stabbing while defending 14-year-old in Mernda
A 22-year-old Melbourne man has been hailed as a hero after he was allegedly killed while protecting a schoolboy from an armed robbery.
Aidan Becker died after responding to four teenagers who were allegedly trying to rob a 14-year-old boy at Mernda station in Melbourne’s northern suburbs just before 6pm on Friday.
Police alleged that the group attacked the boy and then pushed him to the ground.
Mr. Becker, who was returning home from work, led the boy away from the station.
Police said the youths followed the couple, attacked Mr Becker with a machete and fatally stabbed him.
The medical teams who came to the scene could not be saved, although the people around provided first aid.
On Sunday, people left flowers and cards at the station. One woman told the ABC Mr Becker “couldn’t hurt a soul”.
“All he wanted to do was help people,” he said.
“He would do anything to help anyone; he would give the shirt off his back to a random person.”
He said Mr Becker’s family was still trying to come to terms with the circumstances of his death.
The state government has recently passed laws allowing juvenile offenders who commit violent crimes to be sentenced in adult courts; Crimes such as armed robbery and recklessly causing injury now carry potential adult penalties.
In response to the attack, Prime Minister Jacinta Allan announced that the government’s new violence reduction unit had been deployed to Mernda. The unit will work with police and Department for Education staff to root out youth crime.
“That’s why we set up the de-escalation unit, to work with the community after violence and prevent further trauma,” Ms Allan said.
Whittlesea Area Commander Kate O’Neil described the attack as heartbreaking.
“It truly breaks my heart to think of someone being killed so brutally. But I’m grateful that there are still members in the community who help those in need,” Ms. O’Neil said.
Three men, aged 16, 17 and 18, have been charged with murder and armed robbery in connection with Mr Becker’s death, while another 17-year-old youth allegedly involved in the incident remains in hospital under police guard.
