By Sarah Curran
A SEARCH and rescue volunteer has warned of the risk of ‘more serious harm’ in the community after he and his dog were violently assaulted in Bangor.
Ryan Gray, a founder of K9 Search and Rescue NI, and his trained dog Max were assaulted on High Street in the city on Friday evening during an alleged altercation involving a group of 15-20 youths.
Ryan, who works for HM Coastguard as a Senior Coastguard Operations Officer, was punched to the face multiple times by a number of the youths and his dog Max was also kicked a number of times.
The attack follows an ongoing spate of anti-social behaviour across Bangor. Speaking out for the first time since the attack, Ryan warned how ignoring disruptive behaviour was not the answer, adding the young people involved needed ‘guidance, boundaries and accountability’.
Thanking well-wishers and expressing his gratitude to the public, Ryan updated that his dog Max was doing well after the ordeal.
He said: “He’s not in pain, but he is understandably staying very close and is a little jumpy at the moment.
“We have to remember that Max was rescued from Assisi, and this may have brought back some of that past for him.
“Over the coming weeks, we’ll assess whether he is able to return to operational work.”
Ryan added that he was continuing to recover at home and, as a precaution, had returned to the hospital to ‘address a minor issue’ related to his injuries.
Speaking about the attack, Ryan stated: “What happened on Friday night is something I never thought I would experience.
“I challenged behaviour I believed was wrong, and stood up for others, something anyone should feel able to do — and for that I was punched to the ground, kicked about the head, and jumped on while I lay there. This happened more than once.
“Max, my dog, was also assaulted simply for being there.
“We talk about community, respect and safety, but right now too many people don’t feel safe. If people feel they cannot speak up against poor behaviour without fear of violence, then something has gone badly wrong. Why should we be expected to put our heads down and ignore it?”
Ryan continued: “I’ve seen the comments on social media. The support has been incredible, and I don’t take it for granted — but this is bigger than one incident.
“This should be a warning sign for all of us.”
“We also need to be honest about where responsibility lies,” Ryan said.
“We cannot keep placing all of this at the door of the police. They are already overstretched, under constant pressure, and dealing with emergencies every single day.
“I’m also not here to simply blame parents. I imagine most believe their children are out acting responsibly — but the reality is, that’s not always the case.
“If we ignore this, there is a real risk of more serious harm in our communities. “These young people need guidance, boundaries and accountability. If we don’t step in and take responsibility, the consequences will continue to affect all of us.”
Ryan said that he believed the incident had gained attention not only because his dog had been involved in the altercation, but because the disruptive behaviour in Bangor had been a ‘growing issue’ which had come to head.
“I would genuinely like to be part of the solution — to help guide young people onto a better path,” Ryan added. “But that can’t be done alone. It needs support, structure, and professional input to make a real difference.
“Let’s use this moment to do something meaningful — not just talk. If you can offer professional support and feel the same way, please reach out.”
The K9 Search and Rescue charity added their thanks to the PSNI and have reminded the public to try and refrain from posting anything online that could harm the investigation.
