Melbourne father Michael Pavlou has described scenes of “panic” and “confusion” during a violent incident at Northland Shopping Centre on Sunday, May 25, which left one man hospitalised and triggered a lockdown.
Pavlou was shopping with his three-year-old son when chaos erupted.
“As I walked out of Coles, I saw a group of people running,” he told The Guardian.
“At first, I thought they may have stolen something. But then I noticed more people running and then everyone running. Someone said, ‘Someone has got a machete.’ I had my son in the trolley with our groceries.”
Victoria Police said the incident involved “two rival groups” armed with knives, who allegedly clashed in the food court in a targeted attack.
A man in his 20s suffered upper body injuries and was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition. Two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, were arrested and charged with multiple offences, including affray and possessing a controlled weapon.
Pavlou, who witnessed people fleeing through Myer and the food court, said the scene quickly turned to chaos. “There was definitely panic. Everyone was trying to get out. The car park became gridlock. After getting out, we started hearing sirens and a helicopter.”
Police recovered a machete and are searching for up to eight more individuals believed to be involved. Investigators believe the clash may have been retaliation for a previous incident.
Supt Kelly Lawson called the event a “pre-organised gang meet-up” and “disgraceful,” while reassuring the public that it was not a random attack.
Source: The Guardian.
