Huge update after brawl between rival gangs plunged Northland Shopping Centre into lockdown – as Jacinta Allan brings forward ban on dangerous weapon

By ASHLEY KNICKEL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: 22:48 BST, 25 May 2025 | Updated: 00:09 BST, 26 May 2025

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 on Sunday at about 2.30pm  at Northland Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s north.

The teenagers were charged with affray, intentionally causing injury, possessing  a controlled weapon and using a controlled weapon and have been remanded to appear in a children’s court at a later date.

The charges come as Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan held a snap press conference on Monday to announce a machete ban will be expedited.

The ban was initially set to be enforced on September 1, however Allan revealed a ban on the sale of machetes would be enforced from Wednesday. 

‘Those knives are dangerous weapons,’ she said.

‘They have no place on our streets anywhere and that is why I will introduce as many laws to get these dangerous knives off the streets, which is why I’m announcing today that, effective immediately, we will be bringing in place a ban on the sale of machetes here in Victoria, and this ban will be in place from midday on Wednesday.’

Victoria is the first state in Australia to introduce the ban.

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

Superintendent Kelly Lawson confirmed the attack was not random, saying rival gangs had arranged a meeting at the shopping centre’s food court before the fight broke out.

‘It is said to have been an act of retaliation,’ she said.

Police believe about 10 people were 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.

Superintendent Kelly Lawson confirmed the attack was not random (pictured, shoppers hiding after the centre was placed into lockdown)

Supt Lawson said it would not take long to identify all the gang members involved.

One shopper said that saw a wounded young man with a ‘big machete still in his stomach’. 

Another recalled rushing to an injured teenager to help them.

‘We rushed the kid (who had severe upper body wounds) over to the Gelatissimo – two girls looked after him very well – it was pretty gory,’ he told Nine News.

Terrified shoppers were forced to run for their lives from the centre as others sought refuge in shuttered stores including Kmart, Myer and Smiggle.

3AW journalist Jacqueline Felgate shared a series of frantic messages received from those inside locked inside stores.

‘A gang of people with machetes at Northland! We are locked in the back of a store,’ one wrote.

‘No update from centre management if they are still here or not. Unsure if anyone is hurt.’

Victoria Police officers escort a handcuffed man out of the shopping centre on Sunday

‘We are safe where we are. Currently in a locked store room with four other people.

‘Unsure about anyone else in the centre at this point.’

Another wrote: ‘There are people running around Northland with knives. All stores’ shutters are down, my mum is in Best and Less. Scary!’

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Huge update after brawl between rival gangs plunged Northland Shopping Centre into lockdown – as Jacinta Allan brings forward ban on dangerous weapon

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