Shocking video clips have revealed the harrowing final days of 15-year-old Amen Teklay, who was killed in Glasgow in March last year. The footage, shared exclusively with the Daily Record, shows two separate attacks on the schoolboy in the lead-up to his tragic death.
Chase with Machetes 72 Hours Before Death
Just 72 hours before he died, Amen was filmed being chased by three masked boys wielding large knives on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow's west end. The chilling clip shows Amen fleeing the gang during a late-night pursuit. The trio are seen charging after him with massive machetes, one of which is a large red blade similar to a weapon described in court during the trial of two teenagers later cleared of his murder.
Daylight Attack Three Weeks Earlier
Another clip, filmed three weeks before his death, shows Amen being set upon by four male youths on Great Western Road. The minute-long footage shows the gang cornering the schoolboy against a shop window. Amen can be heard repeatedly pleading, "Don't touch me," before the group pounces, savagely beating him in the face and head. He falls to the ground as the mob continues to batter him. Desperate passersby try to intervene, with one woman heard begging, "Leave him alone" and "phone the police." The attack is eventually broken up by a member of the public. The unidentified assailants in both clips are understood to be members of the TCB gang, which the Record understands stands for Taking Care of Business.
Youth Worker Speaks Out
Amen's youth worker, Jamie O'Neill, told the Record: "We all feel sickened now as we watch these videos. I have heard suggestions that what happened to Amen was a result of a 'group of boys were fighting and one ended up dead.' I have heard suggestions that Amen was in a gang. This simply isn't true. Look at these clips. When Amen was always targeted, he was always alone."
Trial and Acquittal
The violence that unfolded on the night of Amen's death in the St George's Cross area was heard in court during the trial of two boys, aged 16 and 17. Eyewitness David Miller, 56, told how he saw three people arguing outside his flat, then saw Amen collapse with blood pouring from his body. He said: "He was just running and collapsed to the ground. I assumed it was a punch to the head and he was just going unconscious. There was quite a lot of blood and I phoned an ambulance." Another witness, Roberto Pistorio, 33, claimed he saw two masked youths arguing with Amen, with one holding a knife that "seemed like a sword." He later heard a scream.
Detective Constable Jim Herbison told the court that the 17-year-old defendant, after his arrest on March 23, 2025, said he had been told Amen was in the Firhill area and that they should "watch out" because "apparently Amen had a knife on him." The teenager said Amen was wearing a balaclava and carrying what looked "kinda like a pirate's sword." He claimed the 16-year-old co-accused had a "red machete" or "big sword thing." Both swung knives but were "dodging and missing." The 17-year-old said he picked up a frying pan to protect himself, and when Amen asked "What are you saying?", the 16-year-old "just stabbed him." The 17-year-old denied involvement in the killing, while the 16-year-old lodged a special defence of self-defence.
Verdict and Aftermath
As jurors delivered a not guilty verdict, Amen's family broke down in court. Jamie O'Neill, speaking on behalf of the family, told the Record: "We are devastated by the verdict. Amen's mum and dad are distraught. There is a crisis of youth violence in Scotland right now and three families have been devastated by what has happened here. Amen was a young man who was known, valued and cared about by so many. His loss has been felt deeply, not only by those closest to him, but by people across our community. We hope that today encourages us all to reflect on what more can be done so that fewer young people, fewer families and fewer communities have to experience this kind of loss."
Amen moved to Glasgow with his father eight years earlier after the family fled Eritrea as refugees. He had dreamed of becoming a doctor, an engineer or a basketball player after gaining UK citizenship. His devastated sister, Delina, previously described him as the person she could tell anything, saying: "He was the one I could go and talk to about anything. We grew up together so we were very close. This was very unexpected and shocking for us. I just think this is a dream and I'm going to wake up tomorrow."
