Latest news with #SuperintendentKellyLawson
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Huge update after brawl between rival gangs plunged Northland Shopping Centre into lockdown - as Jacinta Allan brings forward ban on dangerous weapon
Two teenagers have been charged after a violent brawl broke out between rival gang members armed with machetes and forced a shopping centre into lockdown. Two boys, aged 15 and 16, have been charged, while another male, 20, was rushed to hospital following the brawl about 2.30pm at Northland Shopping Centre in Melbourne 's north. The teenagers were charged with affray, intentionally cause injury, possess controlled weapon and use controlled weapon and have been remanded to appear in a children's court at a later date. The charges come as premier Jacinta Allan prepares to hold a snap press conference at 8am on Monday to announce a machete ban will be expedited. The ban was initially set to be enforced in four months on September 1, however Allan will use the press conference to announce new powers for police. Superintendent Kelly Lawson confirmed the attack was not random, saying rival gangs had arranged a meeting at the centre's food court before the fight erupted. 'It is said to have been an act of retaliation,' she said. Police believe about 10 people were involved, some armed with knives. There were no firearms involved. 'It was a chaotic scene,' Supt Lawson added. 'It's really frightening for members of the public to go through this.' The centre was locked down during the incident as dozens of police officers responded and shoppers shared updates on social media. The man taken to hospital is in a stable condition. Two other males have since self-presented to hospital with injuries.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Chaotic scenes: boys charged over shopping centre brawl
Shoppers have been left terrified by a violent brawl between rival gang members armed with machetes, forcing the lockdown of a busy shopping centre. Two boys, aged 15 and 16, have been charged, while another male, 20, was rushed to hospital following the brawl about 2.30pm at Northland Shopping Centre in Melbourne's north. The teenagers were charged with affray, intentionally cause injury, possess controlled weapon and use controlled weapon and have been remanded to appear in a children's court at a later date. Superintendent Kelly Lawson confirmed the attack was not random, saying rival gangs had arranged a meeting at the centre's food court before the fight erupted. "It is said to have been an act of retaliation," she said. Police believe about 10 people were involved, some armed with knives. There were no firearms involved. "It was a chaotic scene," Supt Lawson added. "It's really frightening for members of the public to go through this." The centre was locked down during the incident as dozens of police officers responded and shoppers shared updates on social media. The man taken to hospital is in a stable condition. Two other males have since self-presented to hospital with injuries. Supt Lawson said it would not take long to identify all the gang members involved.
SBS Australia
25-05-2025
- SBS Australia
Teen arrested, one seriously injured after machete gang fight at Melbourne shopping centre
Two people have been arrested and a third man hospitalised after a machete brawl between youth gang members at a shopping centre in Melbourne's north. Police and paramedics were called to Northland Shopping Centre in Preston just after 2:30pm on Sunday, following reports of several people fighting each other and wielding machetes. The shopping centre was put into lockdown, with shoppers hiding inside stores as police swarmed the scene. The centre remains closed while police continue investigations. Two people have been arrested, including a 15-year-old boy who was taken into custody at the scene. Victoria Police said eight other people were in the process of being identified. One man has been taken to hospital with serious but stable injuries. "There was two rival gangs," Superintendent Kelly Lawson said in a press conference on Sunday evening. "They had a pre-meeting to meet up at the shopping centre where there was an affray, so in effect, a fight between those two rival gangs." Lawson said the incident was perhaps "an act of retaliation". "This was not just some random thing that happened. It was a pre-organised gang meet-up." She said that members of the public, including children, witnessed the altercation. "Members of the public — it would have been absolutely frightening to witness what they saw today on a Sunday afternoon. Parents with their children. [It's] absolutely frightening and they should not have been exposed to what we saw here today." There were no firearms involved in the incident. Investigators are hoping to speak with anyone in the area at the time and who may have witnessed the incident. Lawson said there were around 40 youth gangs in Victoria and the police force was doing what it could to combat its growth.
