A boy was chased and beaten up by a gang with a baseball bat in Oxford as passers-by "ignored" screams for help.
The disturbing incident took place at around 11.30pm on Friday, August 2, on Hollow Way between Headington and Cowley.
A woman who was passing by screamed for help after seeing a group of male teenagers chase and beat the boy with a baseball bat.
Despite her cries for help, she alleges that nobody else who was walking past bothered to stop and help her or the injured boy.
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Hollow Way in Headington. (Image: Google Maps)
The eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to the Oxford Mail and gave an account of the harrowing event.
“I saw something shocking as I was pushing my bike up the steep hill,” she said.
“Around six teen boys ran past me chasing another boy before they caught him and started beating him up with a bat and kicking him while he was on the floor, right in front of me.
“They were all dressed similarly in dark blue hoodies and dark joggers, including the victim.
“I was screaming at them to stop and I tried to get some passing cars to help but nobody bothered and they just drove by and honked.
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Thames Valley Police were at the scene (file photo). (Image: Fareham Police)
“A couple of other cyclists went by and seemed unbothered by it as well as a man on his phone just 100 metres away.”
The 30-year-old witness then went to get her partner but the teenagers had disappeared when the couple returned to the scene.
“I was angry that no one bothered to get down from the car even though I was gesturing at them and screaming,” she revealed.
“I had to go past them to get back home with them assaulting him and I felt really scared that people drove off and left me alone there.
“I was also really scared they would do something to me too as I had seen them so I quickly cycled back while calling my partner.
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The incident occurred on Hollow Way in Headington. (Image: Google Maps)
“The police came by shortly after and I told them what happened and they were trying to find the boys.
“I can't decide which I am more shocked by though, the violence or the fact that no one stopped to help.”
She has been in Oxford since last September and has never witnessed anything like the attack.
“I felt shocked to see the brutality of these boys as it was like something from a movie the way they were being so cruel,” she added.
“The way they were hitting him looked like they were punishing him for something and if it was a random act of violence that makes me feel even more disturbed.
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“It was bold as they didn't care there were at least six people who were in the vicinity and that I was just a stone's throw from them.”
Thames Valley Police has been approached for comment by the Oxford Mail.
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