Teens' savage attack 'may have been filmed'

Video footage may be available of the brutal beating in Gothenburg where a gang of teenage boys are suspected of having beaten a 61-year-old into a coma as bystanders looked on.

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On Sunday, four of the seven teens believed to have viciously attacked a 61-year-old man two weeks ago in Gothenburg were ordered held on remand, while the victim is still fighting for his life in hospital.

The boys, who are aged between 15 and 16, were ordered held on suspicion of aggravated assault in the beating of 61-year-old Carl-Eric Cedvander, who was left unconscious in a fountain in a town square.

Another three younger boys who were involved have been taken into custody by social services due to their age, but remain suspected of having a role in the attack.

On Tuesday, the Aftonbladet newspaper reported that video surveillance cameras may have captured the event, with the tapes having been collected by police in hopes they will provide them with a better understanding what happened in the beating, which has has left Cedvander hovering between life and death in a coma ever since.

The attack, which occurred in Kortedala Torg on March 18th, has left other residents embittered and calling for action, and police are concerned that talks of a demonstration against violence may boil over into an anti-immigrant protest.

"We see that racist websites blame foreigners in general after what happened. It makes me angry, and we need to monitor developments carefully," said the police's Bertil Claesson to Aftonbladet.

"Protests against violence are good, a sign of health, but we don't want it to become a protest out of hatred."

The fountain in the square where the attack took place has been turned into a makeshift memorial for Cedvander, as Gothenburg residents have reacted strongly to the attacks, but also against the onlookers who allegedly did little to help.

While witness reports suggest that the matter was over in a matter of minutes, bystanders did little more than yell at the gang of teens.

The four boys, who all attend Hjällbo high school, denied initial suspicions of attempted murder.

However, one of the teens has admitted to certain aspects of the attack.

"He admits that he used a certain amount of violence, but said the man attacked him first," the boy's lawyer, Per Söderberg, told the Göteborgs Tidning (GT) newspaper.

Formal charges are expected to be filed against the boys by April 13th.