Police are making enquiries after around 10 to 12 masked youths stormed a barber shop in Cardiff and assaulted a teenager. The incident took place at around 5.15pm on Friday, October 7, in the Fresh Look salon on Cowbridge Road East in Canton. Police confirmed they had received a report of the incident.
Isaac Omoyibo, who owns the salon said flowerpots, a massage machine and a metal stool were used to repeatedly strike a teenager who had just had a haircut. CCTV from a neighbouring business caught a group of youngsters — who wore their hoods up with balaclavas or masks over their faces — walking towards Fresh Look Salon just before the attack.
Speaking at the scene minutes after the incident, Mr Omoyibo said that a boy aged around 17 who was sitting on a sofa at the back of the shop after getting his hair cut was targeted. "He was waiting for a lift, then this happened," said the 38-year-old. "These 10 people with masks on came in and I knew something was not right.
"I asked what they wanted and they just started talking to the guy on the sofa. They were saying, 'You think you're a big man?' Then they started hitting him with laughing gas cylinders. He fell and they hit him with everything they had. They used a metal chair. They broke our massage machine on him."
The youths also struck him with two flowerpots which were left in pieces on the shop floor, said Mr Omoyibo. The hail of blows landed on the teenager's face and body, he added. You can get more Cardiff news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
After around a minute the attackers appeared to flee around the corner of the Castle Bingo hall but within minutes they had returned, he said. "They came back again but I had locked the door so they couldn't get in," said Mr Omoyibo, who believes they were aged 16 to 18. CCTV then captured a group of youths leaving the scene, again running around the bingo hall corner.
Police have now issued an update on the incident which saw a 17-year-old teenage boy assaulted and criminal damage caused to a shop and car. Currently no arrests have been made and enquiries are continuing.
A South Wales Police spokesperson said: "South Wales Police was called just before 5.20pm yesterday evening, Friday October 7, following reports of a large group of youths on Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff. On arrival officers found a 17 year old teenage boy had been assaulted in a local barber shop."
Inspector Paul Ramsay from the force said: “It is reported that a group of around 10 to 12 youths were involved in violent disorder in which a teenage boy was assaulted and criminal damage was caused to a shop and a car. I would appeal to anyone who has information in relation to the incident, or was witness to it, to contact us.”
South Wales Police can be contacted via https://bit.ly/SWPProvideInfo quoting occurrence 2200340341.
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