Five teenagers charged over attack and death of 37-year-old near Mladinski Rid in Plovdiv

Five teenagers aged 14 to 17 have been charged with attacking a 37-year-old man near Mladinski Rid in Plovdiv; the man later died in hospital from his injuries.

The Plovdiv District Public Prosecutor's Office said that among the accused are three boys and two girls, and the investigation so far shows that the attack was not accidental, but that the meeting had been prearranged via social networks.

Plan and preparation through online communication

According to the information obtained so far, the minors exchanged messages among themselves and arranged a meeting with the 37-year-old. One of the girls, as stated, in the online communication presented herself as someone younger than her actual age, after which the meeting was scheduled.

The prosecutor's office states that the group was inspired by social media content related to so-called "pedophile hunters" — individuals or groups who contact people online when they suspect something, organize meetings, record and publish material. Instead of reporting their suspicions to the police, the teenagers, according to the indictment, decided to take matters into their own hands.

At the arranged location a physical attack was carried out against the man, who sustained serious injuries. After the attack he was noticed by a passerby, emergency medical assistance was called and he was transferred to hospital, where doctors tried to save his life, but he died several hours later.

The police and the prosecutor's office launched an extensive investigation; initially around ten minors were detained to determine who had been present and what each person's role had been. So far charges have been filed against five — the three boys and the two girls who, the statement says, were among the most active participants in the attack. The suspects' mobile phones are an important part of the evidence: communications and recordings believed to be related to the planning and execution of the attack were found on them, and these are being analyzed to establish individual responsibility.

The prosecutor's office will ask the court to impose the strictest measure for all five — pre-trial detention. Investigative actions continue to determine how the attack was arranged, what each participant's role was and whether other people were involved. The authorities remind that suspicions of criminal offenses, especially when they may involve crimes against children, should be reported to the police and other competent institutions, rather than citizens conducting their own investigations or violent actions.

Photo: press material from the event