New details emerge after teen died in balcony tragedy
A teen who died after plummeting from a Gold Coast apartment building was trying to escape an armed robbery, police say.
The man, 19, was among a group of people staying at the View Avenue building at Southport and his body was found at the bottom of the building on Saturday about 3.15am.
Police allege three men aged 18, 20 and 22, went to the unit the man was staying in armed with a knife and committed a robbery.
On Sunday, three men were charged with one count of murder and two counts of armed robbery. They will face court on Monday.
Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith told reporters the man’s death was “tragic”.
“The family is shattered and rightly so,” Det Supt Smith said.
He added police believe the three men were among two separate groups in the building staying in two different rooms along with the dead teen.
They all attended a party where “illicit drugs had been taken”, he said.
“During the course of the evening the three main offenders have robbed the victim and his friend at knifepoint,” Det Supt Smith said.
“And during the course of that the victim has attempted to escape and gone over the balcony and died.”
Det Supt Smith said police are also investigating “some linked break and enters” at a number of chemists during the week in Gold Coast’s northern suburbs including Pimpama.
“We believe the drugs used came from those break and enters and that all persons in the premises were under the influence of drugs at the time,” he said.
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