Members of the Noosa community gathered and walked for the late John Kerr over the weekend to honour his memory.
About 500 residents gathered on Sunday morning to remember the local 87-year-old man who died after being violently attacked on a morning walk last week.
Mr Kerr was found on a boardwalk path on Hastings Street in Noosa Heads after what is being described as a random attack. Despite attempts to help from people passing by, paramedics confirmed he died at the scene.
Locals attending the memorial gathered at the beach before the walk to observe a minute’s silence and lay flowers.
The event was organised by fellow long-time local, David Knechtli, who also frequently walked the path Mr Kerr did before his death. He read a statement from Mr Kerr’s family to a teary crowd.
“We are broken-hearted to lose our beloved John,” he said.
Sparked from a social media post, Mr Knechtli decided to organise the walk to not only remember Mr Kerr but also restore some form of safety to local residents who had raised fears about walking in the area after the attack.
“I’m not going to be afraid in my own community,” Mr Knechtli told ABC News.
Mr Knechtli advised residents to stay safe and vigilant when walking early in the morning but to avoid stopping normal daily life activities.
A person of interest was taken into custody on the day of the attack who is allegedly helping police with the investigation. No charges have been laid.
Police also released security camera footage of a person and some cars that were in the area at the time of the incident and wish to speak to them.
