Friends and colleagues remember Aiden Becker as always willing to help others.
Friends and colleagues remember Aiden Becker as always willing to help others.
A 22-year-old Melbourne man has been hailed a hero and is being remembered in a wave of tributes after allegedly being killed while protecting a schoolboy from an armed robbery.
Aidan Becker died on Friday just before 6pm at Mernda station in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, after intervening when four teenagersallegedly tried to rob a 14-year-old boy.
Police allege the group assaulted the boy before pushing him to the ground.
Becker, who was on his way home from work, intervened and walked the boy away from the station.
Police said the teens followed the pair, attacking Becker with a machete and fatally stabbing him.
“He would do anything to help anyone; he’d give the shirt off his back to a random person.”
She said Becker’s family were still coming to grips with the circumstances of his death.
Becker worked as a security guard at the Alfred Hospital, which released a statement on Sunday describing him as a “quiet hero”.
Three males, aged 16, 17 and 18, have been charged with murder and armed robbery in connection with his death, while another 17-year-old allegedly involved remains in hospital under police guard. Photo / Mark Stewart
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of young security officer, Aidan Becker,” the statement read.
“Aidan’s colleagues at The Alfred describe him as a dedicated, respected, and much-loved member of our security team.
“He will be remembered for being full of life, and for his positive energy, kindness and dedication.
“He was a quiet hero who gave his all for those around him.”
Yarrambat Football Club, where Becker was a former player, paid tribute to him, saying their hearts were “incredibly heavy”.
“Aidan was the kind of teammate every club hopes for – selfless, team-first and always willing to put others before himself,” the club said in a statement.
“His impact reached far beyond the game and the sadness of his loss is being felt deeply across the entire community.”
In response to the attack, Premier Jacinta Allan announced the deployment of the Government’s new violence reduction unit to Mernda.
The unit will work with police and Department of Education staff with the aim of addressing youth crime at its roots.
“We created the violence reduction unit for this reason, to work with the community in the aftermath of violence and prevent further trauma,” Allan said.
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