Two teenagers, Mason Rist and Max Dixon, were brutally murdered in a case of mistaken identity in Bristol earlier this year.
Both boys, aged 15 and 16 respectively, were chased by a gang armed with machetes on January 27, 2024, in the Knowle West area.
The gang, including four teenagers and a 45-year-old man, targeted the boys after wrongly identifying them as responsible for an earlier attack in a rival neighborhood.
The tragic outcome of this confrontation has left the community in shock and disbelief.
The Attack Unfolds
On the evening of January 27, Mason and Max were going about their normal activities when they became the targets of an attack.
The group responsible—Riley Tolliver, aged 18, three other teenagers (whose identities cannot be revealed for legal reasons), and getaway driver Antony Snook—had been driven to Knowle West after carrying out a revenge mission in Hartcliffe.
Earlier in the evening, three men had thrown bricks at a house in Hartcliffe, injuring a woman. CCTV footage captured the attack.
Shortly after, Snook, along with the teenagers, drove to Knowle West in an Audi Q2, believing that Mason and Max were involved in the earlier incident.
However, they were tragically mistaken.
A Deadly Pursuit
Around 11:13 PM, the group arrived in Ilminster Avenue, where Mason and Max were walking.
As the Audi passed by, the boys were spotted, and the group immediately jumped out, armed with machetes and a baseball bat.
The attack, which lasted just 33 seconds, was swift and devastating.
Mason and Max tried to flee, but they were relentlessly pursued.
Mason was attacked by Tolliver and a 15-year-old boy, while Max was chased by the other attackers.
Both boys sustained fatal injuries and were later declared dead in the early hours of January 28.
The Aftermath
After the attack, Snook drove the attackers away, disposing of clothing linked to the crime and attempting to cover up their tracks.
Meanwhile, one of the attackers was seen picking up McDonald’s takeaway, less than six hours after the murder.
Throughout the trial, Snook claimed he was unaware of the weapons and insisted he thought he was simply driving the teens to a “safe house.”
However, evidence, including covert recordings from a teenage suspect, suggested otherwise.
The attackers did not provide testimony in their defense, but their legal representatives argued there was no shared intent to murder.
Despite the defense’s claims, the jury found all involved guilty of the murders.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
Detective Superintendent Gary Haskins, the lead investigator, described Mason and Max as “beautiful boys” who were simply going about their business when they were senselessly murdered.
Haskins emphasized that the boys had no connection to the earlier incident that sparked the attack.
They were innocent victims of a violent, mistaken judgment.
What Happens Next?
The aftermath of this tragedy has left many questioning how such a senseless act could happen.
The convicted individuals now face lengthy sentences for their crimes.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gang violence and mistaken identity, and the community continues to mourn the loss of two young lives taken too soon.
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