Image from: Panoramio user SantoB

Macau is in shock after a brutal beating that resulted in the death of a 15-year old just days before Christmas.

It all happened in the early hours of December 20th. After a dispute in a pub on London Street in the well-trafficked NAPE area, two teens exited the pub.  Outside, they were attacked by “eight or nine” youths.  One was able to flee, but the other, surnamed Law, was viciously beaten in the street.

The NAPE area is a popular nightlife spot in Macau which tends to attract many tourists. It’s also very close to major casinos like the Wynn Macau.

Among the eight suspects involved, three of them have been taken into custody, according to media reports.  They range in age from 16 to 22, and a few of them have triad backgrounds, according to the Macau Daily Times.

Residents nearby were woken up by the noise and called the police. All the attackers had already taken flight from the site when policemen arrived and the victim died shortly after being rushed to the Kiang Wu Hospital. Reports said hours after the attack, detailed information on as many as three alleged suspects including their names, photos, addresses, telephone numbers were posted on the Internet. Police said they were aware of the Internet information but would not confirm if they are the suspected attackers, instead, the authority said they collected information including video footages from CCTV nearby as well as testimony by residents and witnesses.

It’s believed some of the suspects may have quickly fled to the Mainland.

There are concerns in Macau that triads have infiltrated school campuses, and calls for the former Portuguese territory to take action to protect students.