EXCLUSIVE: Shocking moment alleged attacker runs down street brandishing golf club as boy, 13, is left fighting for life after being hit on head outside south London school
- 13-year-old boy was hit with a metal pole at 3pm on Wednesday in Streatham
- Footage shows man in a blue t-shirt holding a golf club chasing after students
- Scotland Yard confirmed the victim is fighting for his life in a London hospital
- A 35-year-old man was arrested and is being questioned on suspicion of GBH
- Other footage posted to social media shows man in row with several people
This is the moment a man brandishing a golf club allegedly chased schoolchildren along a London street in a frenzied attack that left a 13-year-old boy with a fractured skull.
Enraged and shouting, the man struck out at pupils and staff from the Dunraven secondary School in Streatham, south London.
The incident, shortly after 3pm on Wednesday when children were leaving the school, was captured by bewildered onlookers on their mobile phones.
Teachers herded students back into the school as reports of that a man targeting children a metal pole emerged.
Police were called to the scene and a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing GBH.
The 13-year-old boy was treated at the scene for a head injury before being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment. It is understood he suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.
This is the moment a man brandishing a golfclub allegedly chased schoolchildren along a London street in a frenzied attack that left a 13-year-old boy with a fractured skull
Other videos posted on social media earlier show a man involved in a row with several people in Streatham, south London, at 3.23pm on Wednesday
A resident who lives close to Dunraven School described seeing blood on the ground and a schoolboy lying unconscious following the assault.
They said: ‘There’s always a bit of commotion when the kids come out so when I heard shouting and screaming I didn’t pay any attention.
‘But I came out of my house shortly after and there were kids and teachers running around in panic.
‘There was blood on the ground, a golf club nearby and one of the kids out cold. It was a very ghastly scene.’
Today, the schoolboy victim was described as popular and ‘cheeky’ by parents with children in the same year as him.
One said: ‘He’s a well-known kid who has a lot of friends.
‘Like any 13-year-old he can be a bit mouthy but he’s not a troublemaker and is very likeable.’
Another added: ‘It’s very shocking because he’s a lovely boy. He’s a character, bit of a cheekie chappie who’s always smiling and joking around.
‘We’re all devastated by this because it was a very horrific attack.’
One pupil said: ‘He’s got a sister in year 10 but likes going home with his pals.
‘They like to hang around after school and have a laugh and are well known as a bunch of jokers.’
A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of GBH following an attack on a 13-year-old boy yesterday afternoon in Streatham, south London. The victim was rushed to hospital by London ambulance service where his injuries are described as ‘life-threatening’
Today, the schoolboy victim (not pictured) was described as popular and ‘cheeky’ by parents with children in the same year as him. One said: ‘He’s a well-known kid who has a lot of friends’
The mother of one pupil has told how her daughter was locked into the school after a man began attacking students in the street.
Gemma Ballard told MailOnline: ‘I was on my way home last night when my partner called me to say our daughter had told him there was an incident at the school
‘I rang her straight back. She told all of the children had been locked up in the school.
‘She said there was a man in the street hitting out at kids and teachers with a golf club.
‘He slapped a blonde woman and he was going for the male teachers who had surrounded him.
‘So the teachers pushed all the children back into the school and locked them in.
‘I was really worried about my daughter. We went down there and she was allowed out. She is alright. She doesn’t know who the boy is, only that he is in Year Nine.’
Ms Ballard claimed that the attacker was well known in the area.
She said: ‘The man is known to the school children.
‘He lives two doors away from the school. Some of the children make fun of him and call him names. It’s not right what he did but he is not all there.’
The 35-year-old man remains in custody.
Met Police Superintendent Ian Howells described the daylight attack as ‘shocking’.
He said: ‘This was a shocking incident and has caused alarm and distress among the local community.
‘We are supporting the family of the boy who was injured and have a number of officers in the area speaking with residents and also pupils from the school nearby who witnessed what happened.
‘We would like to reassure the public that this was an isolated and contained incident.’