An 80-year-old dog walker died after ‘a group of young people’ allegedly attacked him in a park in Leicestershire.
Five children – three aged 12, the others 14 – have been arrested on suspicion of his murder on Sunday evening.
The man was walking his dog near an entrance to Franklin Park on Bramble Way, in Braunstone Town, when he suffered a ‘serious’ assault around 6.30pm.
He died in hospital last night.
A ‘group of young people’ believed to have attacked him fled the scene before emergency services arrived, police said.
Officers tracked down a boy and a girl, aged 14, and one boy and three girls, aged 12, who have now been arrested.
Detective Inspector Emma Matts said: ‘Sadly, following the death of the victim last night, this has now become a murder investigation.
‘Officers are continuing to work at speed to establish the details of the attack and we have made a number of arrests as we continue to understand what has happened.
‘We still need people who were in the area to come forward if they have seen anything or have any information which could assist.
‘Were you in the area of Franklin Park or Bramble Way around 6.30pm on Sunday night? Did you see the attack itself?
‘From the description given did you see the victim before the incident or possibly a group of young people leaving the area after?
‘A scene preservation will remain in place at the park while our investigation progresses.
‘Local officers are also in the area carrying out reassurance patrols and can speak to anyone in the local community who has concerns.’
The alleged victim is believed to have been wearing a black jumper and grey jogging bottoms at the time of the incident.
Leicestershire Police said it will make a voluntary referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) because they had prior contact with the victim.
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