By Goya Dmytryshchak
Police are appealing for witnesses to a “very horrific” King Street attack that has left a Seabrook father with potentially permanent brain injuries.
Awer, a first-time father of a six-month-old boy, was in a coma for two weeks and remains in a rehabilitation centre with life-changing injuries months after the assault.
The 27-year-old needs help to walk, communicate and eat.
Awer was assaulted by two carloads of males after being followed from a South Melbourne nightclub.
CCTV footage from March 24 shows a red Subaru WRX and a red Mitsubishi force Awer’s car to pull over about 4.30am before blocking it from the front and back.
Awer exits the passenger seat before being assaulted by six to eight offenders, who are of African appearance, with a “metal or wooden object”.
Detective Sergeant Simon Watts this week told Star Weekly that police were calling for witnesses and dam-cash footage.
“At this stage, all we know is the victim was forced off the road by a red Subaru sedan and a red Mitsubishi sedan … he was then attacked by a group of between six to eight males.
“He was then assaulted with an unknown object [and]suffered serious permanent injuries to his head.
“He’s still undergoing rehabilitation and due to the nature of the injury it can take several months to establish how permanent and long-lasting the injuries will be.
“The victim has gone out one night and still hasn’t, several months later, been able to return to see the progress and the growing-up of his son. Any information that could help us would be really appreciated.”
Police are unsure of the motive behind the attack but believe Awer and his attackers have some connection.
“We don’t believe that this was a random attack,” Sergeant Watts said.
There were three others in the car with Awer at the time he was assaulted.
Awer’s sister Sara, 21, made a desperate plea for the public’s help in tracking down those who attacked her brother.
“He’s really loving, he’s really caring, he’s funny and he’s a really good dad,” she said.
“He can’t really see his son grow up at this age, like he’s six months now and he hasn’t really seen his dad that much.
“It still needs a lot of work to get back to where he was.
“We’re just hoping for the best.”
On Thursday, police arrested a 21-year-old man at Truganina. He has been charged with attempted murder and was remanded in custody.
Police also arrested a 23-year-old man on May 1 in relation to the assault. He was extradited from Sydney to Melbourne, charged with attempted murder and remanded to appear at the County Court on July 30.
Police are appealing to anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
With Hunter Thompson/The Age
