Melbourne mall brawl: Man seriously injured, two arrested after knife fight

Northland Shopping Centre has been plunged into lockdown following reports of 10 people allegedly involved in a fight. Photo / X via NewsWire

A man has been rushed to hospital in a serious condition after 10 people were allegedly involved in a fight that plunged Northland Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s northeast into lockdown.

Emergency services were called to the Murray Road shopping centre in Preston shortly after 2.30pm local time following reports of opposing groups fighting, some armed with knives.

Victoria police said one male had since been taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Another two males had been arrested and interviewed.

Victoria Police Superintendent Kelly Lawson told the Herald Sun the alleged brawl was a planned meet-up between opposition groups.

“A fight between two rival gangs occurred in the food court,” she said.

“It was a planned event, they had prearranged to meet here.

“It is said to have been an act of retaliation… not just a random attack.

“It’s happened in a busy shopping centre, so there clearly was a risk to the public, there’s always a risk to the public.”

Lawson said the public “need to take comfort” that the alleged brawl was not a random attack, and that they were “attacking each other”.

She told the Melbourne paper multiple units had responded within six minutes of being alerted and that one machete was located, and no firearms.

The shopping centre remained locked down while police investigate the incident.

The exact circumstances are being investigated but police believe the incident was targeted and people involved knew each other.

Investigators want to speak to anyone in the area at the time who may have witnessed the altercation.

The lockdown sparked chaos at the busy centres, with shoppers sharing unverified images and video online.

Two separate videos posted to Facebook showed a man on the ground being restrained.

In one of the videos, the man is seen wearing what appeared to be a face mask while in the second they are not – it was not immediately clear if they were the same man.

Video also showed the chaos outside the centre, as police cars rushed to the scene, a helicopter circled overhead, and shoppers waited in the parking lot.

Patrons told 3AW radio station that they were locked inside individual stores.

“Tell people not to go there at the present time until its given the all-clear,” Bill, whose daughter was at the centre, told 3AW.

Liberal Northern Metropolitan Region MP Evan Mulholland called on locals to avoid the area in a social media post shortly before 4pm.

“Avoid the area. Police operation is ongoing,” he said.

“Several offenders spotted machetes.

“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.

“We continue our call for the Labor Government to enact the machete ban immediately.”