The family of a schoolboy allegedly targeted by a group of armed youths before off-duty security guard Aidan Becker fatally intervened has expressed their gratitude for the hero’s “bravery and kindness”.
Becker, 22, was coming home from work as a security officer at the Alfred Hospital on Friday afternoon when he noticed a 14-year-old boy allegedly being robbed by a group of people. As Becker led the boy outside, police allege four teenagers followed the pair and ambushed them – punching, kicking and ultimately fatally stabbing Becker.
Emergency services were called to the Mernda Station before 6pm, but were unable to save him.
In a statement released by police on Tuesday afternoon, the family of the 14-year-old said they were “deeply saddened by the heartbreaking loss”.
“[Becker] showed extraordinary courage and compassion in risking his life to save our son. Our family will carry his bravery and kindness in our hearts forever,” they said. “We hold your family in our thoughts and prayers.”
A 16-year-old, two 17-year-olds, and an 18-year-old man, Mike Pikos, have been charged with murder and armed robbery over Becker’s death.
In the days since Becker’s death, the community has rallied around his family, with a donation page reaching nearly $70,000. Flowers have also been left at Mernda station and a vigil has been organised for later this week.
The incident raised questions about whether protective service officers had been directed away from train stations to instead patrol shopping centres.
PSOs have had a nightly presence at train stations since 2010, when the Baillieu government was elected on a promise to put two at every station each night between 6pm and the final train service.
Late last year the government announced it would pull nightly patrols from 120 low-crime stations, instead deploying groups of officers to monitor several stations in an area. The government has not yet said which stations would be considered “low crime”.
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