Two weeks ago, 15yo Cassius was attacked while walking home from school. He died on Sunday.

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Content warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following story contains images of deceased persons. This story also deals with murder, which may be triggering for some readers.

On Thursday, October 13, 2022, Cassius Turvey was walking home from school with a group of friends in Perth. 

A black Ford Ranger ute stopped beside them at about 4.30pm, and passengers emerged allegedly shouting racial slurs and the word "run."

It is alleged a 21-year-old among them caught up to Cassius and attacked him with a metal pole. 

Rushed to hospital with serious head injuries, he was quickly transferred to the Perth Children's hospital with two brain bleeds. 

He was discharged after five days, but back in hospital within hours after suffering seizures and two strokes. 

Cassius was placed in an induced coma, and died on Sunday, October 23. He was 15.

The 15-year-old's family has shared this photo of Cassius in hospital, to raise awareness as they fight for justice. Image: GoFundMe.

"The police must get this right," Commissioner Blanch said. 

 "We have spoken to all witnesses present... the investigation is ongoing.

"There may be further charges, but we do have a lot of evidence to be going through."

Cassius' family say he was attacked because he and his friends were presumed responsible for breaking windows in the neighbourhood. 

"The men were aware Cassius was underage, as he was wearing his school uniform," they wrote on GoFundMe. 

Police are yet to confirm a motive, but Sergeant Cleal said the offender had "clearly seen the group of kids walking along and approached that group."

"The two people that we believe were subject of an assault within that group, which includes Cassius, just happened to be the two people they managed to catch up with," he added.

"So there's no indication that they knew them personally or singled them out."

Cassius is being remembered as a gentle giant. 

A year nine student and Noongar boy, who ran a lawn mowing business in his spare time. As his mum told NITV, he didn't charge a set price for his services. Instead, he asked customers to pay him what they wanted to. 

"He just wanted to let people know that the youth in our community, we’re not bad," Noongar-Yamatji woman Mechelle Turvey explained. 

"He’s got a really strong sense of community, him and his mates."

The family only recently lost Cassius' father, Mechelle's husband, Sam, to cancer.

"I’m feeling heartbroken," Mechelle told NITV.

"I feel useless. Honestly, I feel so angry, like I want to do something and there's nothing I can do. I can't protect him from any of this.

"I've always told him, 'You're an Indigenous boy, they're going to look at you and think all these awful things, just try to be smaller.' I hate that I had to explain that to my son at this age."

There has been an outpouring of grief and anger on behalf of Cassius and his family, with the hashtag #justiceforcassius gaining momentum. 

"Racism kills," wrote Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe on Instagram.

"Violence against First Nations people in this country must end. I stand with you, I will fight for you and do everything I can to bring justice to the family and community."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Senator Lidia Thorpe (@senatorthorpe)

"He was only 15 years old when he was senselessly killed," wrote fellow Senator Dorinda Cox. 

"He was a young leader who will be remembered as a 'vibrant, caring, jokester with a beautiful smile' who loved school and his family."

Deputy Premier Roger Cook said Cassius' death was a "horrible situation brought about by violence".

A candlelight vigil has been organised for 5.30pm at Midland Oval on October 31, coinciding with Halloween, which organisers have described as Cassius' favourite holiday. Rallies are being planned across the country in a show of solidarity as community members attribute his death to a 'clear case of racial profiling'.

A GoFundMe set up to raise money for his funeral and legal costs for criminal compensation and justice has already gathered over $400,000 at the time of writing, with his family "so overwhelmed with the response but so thankful and grateful to each and every one of you." 

Mechelle has thanked the community for their support, telling the ABC, "How are we supposed to raise our young youth to be leaders and take on our next generation when we're just pounding them into the ground, traumatising them, making them feel that they are absolutely nothing?" 

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or report online at crimestopperswa.com.au.  

You can find Cassius's family's GoFundMe here.

This article was published on October 26, 2022 and has been updated since.