Young man beaten on a street in Gostivar; victim says he does not know the attackers

Police in Gostivar are investigating an assault on a young man after a video of the incident circulated online. The clip shows a street attack in which one of the assailants kicks the victim in the face, knocking him onto the asphalt, and another strikes him repeatedly with a wooden rod that breaks under the blows.

On August 2 at 22:20, 22-year-old A.V. went to the Gostivar police station and reported that the previous night, at 2:30 a.m., he and his friend L.E. had been physically attacked on Borche Jovanoski Street in Gostivar by three unknown men, each about 25 years old. According to his report, the attackers used various hard and wooden objects during the assault.

The police say the case has been brought to the attention of the public prosecutor on duty. Investigators are working to identify and locate the perpetrators and to clarify the full circumstances of the incident.

Video evidence under review

The recorded footage, which has spread on social networks, prompted immediate reaction from local authorities. In the sequence shown, the victim is first hit with a kick to the head and falls; the violence continues as one of the attackers hits him with a wooden stick, which visibly breaks after repeated strikes to his back.

Authorities have not released the identities of those involved. The victim told police he does not recognize the attackers. Forensic and witness work is ongoing as officers try to reconstruct the timeline and determine whether additional footage or witnesses exist.

Local police asked anyone with information or additional recordings to come forward to assist with the investigation as prosecutors prepare the case for further action.

Photo: press material from the event