Teenagers claim notorious gang ‘Menace to Society’ gatecrashed apartment on night girl was stabbed

A group of girls enjoying an all-night birthday party have claimed members of the Apex-linked ‘Menace to Society’ gang gatecrashed their party on the morning their 19-year-old friend was stabbed to death. 

Police have been told by party-goers at the event that they recognised the intruders as members of the notorious gang, reports The Herald Sun. 

Kenyan-born Laa Chol was killed on July 21 at 5am when a group of young African-Australians crashed the party, held in a rented apartment in Melbourne’s EQ Tower.

 Witnesses attending a wild party on the night a 19-year-old girl (pictured) was stabbed to death have claimed members of notorious gang ‘Menace to Society’ gatecrashed the event 

In January this year the Ecoville Community Park centre in Tarneit was found trashed with the gang's MTS initials scrawled on the walls (pictured)

In January this year the Ecoville Community Park centre in Tarneit was found trashed with the gang’s MTS initials scrawled on the walls (pictured)

Police have been told by party-goers at the event that they recognised the intruders as members of the western suburbs based gang (pictured; the Ecoville Community Park centre)

Police have been told by party-goers at the event that they recognised the intruders as members of the western suburbs based gang (pictured; the Ecoville Community Park centre)

The witnesses claim that Ms Chol was trying to get the intruders to leave when she was stabbed. 

Two boys have been charged over Ms Chol’s death. 

A  17-year-old boy was arrested on Monday and charged with her murder. 

He is being held in custody while police prepare evidence including CCTV footage and witness accounts.

A 16-year-old was arrested on Wednesday as an accessory and has been charged with assault. 

The Menace to Society gang has become notorious in Melbourne’s west after run-ins with police.

The Ecoville Community Park centre in Tarneit was found trashed in January this year and some of the walls tagged with MTS initials. 

In December last year, a Werribee Airbnb property rented by four girls was garetcrashed and trashed by the gang.  

Kenyan-born Laa Chol (pictured) was killed in a brawl when a gang of young African-Australians crashed a party in Melbourne on Friday night

Kenyan-born Laa Chol (pictured) was killed in a brawl when a gang of young African-Australians crashed a party in Melbourne on Friday night

Miss Chol's mother Ojwanga Abalo (left) said she 'loved everyone,' adding: 'I miss my daughter.'

Miss Chol died on Friday night

Miss Chol’s mother Ojwanga Abalo (left) said she ‘loved everyone,’ adding: ‘I miss my daughter.’ Right: Miss Chol

Ms Chol’s shattered mother Ojwanga Abalo said the teenager ‘loved everyone,’ adding: ‘I miss my daughter’.

‘Just whenever you saw her, it was a happy moment. There were no sad moments,’ she told the Herald Sun. 

‘She helped me with everything… I don’t know what I’m going to do without her,’ she added.

Ms Abalo said she hoped police would catch her daughter’s ‘cowardly’ killer.

Ms Chol’s cousin Nyawie Dau, who moved with her to Australia in 2005, also urged police to find the culprits and lock them up.

‘We need justice for Laa. They need to find whoever did this,’ Miss Dau said. 

Ms Chol, a talented soccer player, was due to take the field on Sunday night for local team Skye United in a crunch match against Monbulk Rangers.

Neighbours heard wailing coming from her home in Pakenham, south-east Melbourne as family and friends struggled to come to terms with her death.

Tragic: Laa Chol, 19, was stabbed to death by a gatecrasher inside a Melbourne apartment

Tragic: Laa Chol, 19, was stabbed to death by a gatecrasher inside a Melbourne apartment

Friends have remembered Laa Chol, 19, as a quiet person as they grieved her violent death on Saturday morning

Friends have remembered Laa Chol, 19, as a quiet person as they grieved her violent death on Saturday morning

The Ecoville Community Park centre in Tarneit was found trashed in January this year

The Ecoville Community Park centre in Tarneit was found trashed in January this year

The newly built centre was covered in graffiti appearing to reference gangs 

The newly built centre was covered in graffiti appearing to reference gangs 

Ms Chol was partying at a $125-a-night apartment on the 56th floor of a block with a group of young African-Australians in their late teens and early 20s.

A second group crashed the party and a fight broke out, leading to Miss Chol’s stabbing around 5am.

A police spokesman said detectives ‘do not believe the second group was invited by either the person who booked the apartment, or the deceased.’

About 12 people are assisting police with their inquiries.

Ms Chol died from what Victoria Police Commander Tim Hansen called ‘assault related injuries’.

‘My understanding is this wasn’t a random attack,’ he told reporters. 

‘There’s no sign of forced entry but we’re trying to clarify what brought [the second group] there.’ 

It is understood Ms Chol was attending a party at the EQ Tower (pictured) when a second group crashed the event

It is understood Ms Chol was attending a party at the EQ Tower (pictured) when a second group crashed the event

Ms Chol died after a fight broke out between two groups of African-Australians in the early hours of Saturday morning in Melbourne's city centre

Ms Chol died after a fight broke out between two groups of African-Australians in the early hours of Saturday morning in Melbourne’s city centre

Victoria has a 'major law and order problem' with Sudanese gangs, Peter Dutton (pictured) has said

Victoria has a ‘major law and order problem’ with Sudanese gangs, Peter Dutton (pictured) has said

Ms Chol, who worked part-time at KFC, was treated at the EQ Tower residential building by paramedics but died from her injuries.

A resident of the building told the Herald Sun she heard prolonged and ‘horrendous’ screams. 

‘It went on for about 20 minutes,’ the woman said.  

‘You couldn’t hear anything but this horrendous screaming… I just thought they were drunk.

‘They were shouting and screaming and the girl’s scream was incredibly loud … just screeching.’

It comes after the Homes Affairs Minister released a statement calling for a crackdown on Sudanese gangs in the wake of the death.

‘This is a tragic and needless loss of a young life,’ he said.

‘There is a major law and order problem in Victoria and more people are going to be hurt until the rule of law is enforced by the Victorian Government.

‘We don’t have these problems with Sudanese gangs in NSW or Queensland.’

Mr Dutton accused Victorian Premier Dan Andrews of failing to acknowledge the issue of Sudanese gangs.

‘He is out of touch and more people will get hurt or worse until the problem is fixed,’ he said.

He urged Mr Andrews to change Victoria’s bail laws which he described as ‘pathetic.’

Ms Chol, who worked part-time in KFC and played women's soccer for a local team, was treated at the EQ Tower residential building by paramedics but died from her injuries 

Ms Chol, who worked part-time in KFC and played women’s soccer for a local team, was treated at the EQ Tower residential building by paramedics but died from her injuries 

 

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