Shopping centre on lockdown as machete-armed gangs brawl sending customers fleeing in panic in Australia
A “TARGETED” machete fight in a mall left one person fighting for their life and plunged the entire shopping centre into lockdown.
10 men, including a 15-year-old, were allegedly involved in a two-team brawl with some wielding knives at the “absolutely frightening” battle in Northland Shopping Centre.
Horrified shoppers watched on as the men, most donning black outfits, took violent jabs and swings at each other in Melbourne, Australia.
The fighting reportedly broke out in the mall’s food court on Sunday.
Shocking images showed a man carrying a massive machete, about the length of his own arm, and threatening another two people with it.
It is unclear if the man who was rushed to hospital was struck by this huge sword or not.
Customers at the mall told of the “chaos” and “confusion” which ensued as the attack sent the whole centre into lockdown.
Emergency services were called to the centre on Murray Road in Preston shortly after 2.30pm following reports of opposing groups fighting.
Local police confirmed that one man in his 20s had been rushed to hospital and was in a critical condition – but he is now stable.
Two men, one of which being the 15-year-old teenager, have also been arrested and are currently being questioned.
The shopping centre remained in lockdown while police quizzed the men and investigated the ordeal.
Cops believe the two warring parties were known to each other, and that the fight may have been organised.
They said: “The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated, but it is believed the incident was targeted and parties are believed to be known to each other.”
The lockdown sparked chaos at the busy mall, as customers speculated what exactly was going on in the mall at the time of the attack.
Images showed armed cops rushing around the scene, with police cars and helicopters up above.
Local MP Evan Mulholland called on locals to avoid the area in a social media post shortly before 4pm.
He said: “Avoid the area. Police operation is ongoing.
“Several offenders spotted machetes.”
He added: “Our shopping centres should be a safe place for families.
“Northland in particular is a destination for many families in the north, I was there with my own family yesterday.”
Victoria policewoman Kelly Lawson said the attack was “disgraceful” and described the fight as “absolutely frightening” for bystanders.
“What I want to do is reassure the community that this was not just some random thing that happened, it was a pre-organised gang meet-up,” Lawson said.
Cops added that the fight may have been an act of retaliation by one of the groups.
They managed to arrest one person within six minutes of receiving the initial report
Lawson also praised the actions of shop workers who protected and comforted those locked down in stores during the horror brawl.
One machete was left and found at the mall in the fight’s aftermath.
Police are currently investigating who the other eight individuals are.
Michael Pavlou was at Northland shopping centre with his three-year-old son at the time of the machete rampage.
He described scenes of “panic” and “confusion”.
He said: “As I walked out of Coles, I saw a group of people running.
“They looked young. At first, I thought they may have stolen something. But then I noticed more people running and then everyone running.
“As we started running, I turned to the person next to me and said ‘what’s going on?’ They said ‘Someone has got a machete.’ I had my son in the trolley with our groceries.”
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