Delete footage of attack on teenage girl, say police and school: Video circulating on social media shows incident between Bangor Academy pupils
The police and Northern Ireland’s largest school have asked the public not to share images of an apparent violent attack involving two pupils that have been circulating on social media.
Bangor Academy said the matter, which took place after school hours and saw a young girl in her teens taken to hospital for back injuries after she was assaulted, has “been deal with promptly” and “the families involved have been supported” while the PSNI probes the incident.
Stated school authorities: “We would respectfully ask that images are not shared or commented upon, particularly while the matter is being investigated. The safety and wellbeing of all our pupils remains our highest priority.”
A brief video seen by the News Letter shows several uniformed children, who appear to be roughly 13 to 15 years old, in a pay-and-display car park close to the school’s grounds near the centre of the Co Down seaside city.
A girl can be seen running through the small crowd, chased by a boy; he catches her and appears to strike her with his hands and feet.
The police have confirmed that “a young teenage girl was assaulted” by a teenage male in the incident, which took place after “an alleged verbal confrontation” on Bangor’s Castle Street at around 4pm on Tuesday.
A spokesman for the force said the boy “ran towards the victim within a nearby car park and proceeded to assault her”.
He ran off, heading towards a nearby store with a number of other boys, added the spokesman. The girl went to hospital for treatment to injuries to her lower back.
Stated the PSNI: “Our enquiries are continuing into the circumstances of what happened, including a motive and who was involved.
“Officers also continue to liaise with the relevant school authorities and a youth diversion officer has been informed.”
The spokesman said the force is aware that footage of the assault is circulating on social media. They’re also asking the public not to share it, and state that anyone who obtained a copy should “permanently delete it”.
Anyone who witnessed what happened or who has any information is asked to contact the PSNI on non-emergency phone number 101, quoting reference number 1007 21/10/26. Reports can also be submitted using the police’s online reporting form.