Teenage student hospitalised after gang attack near school
Updated ,first published
A teenage boy was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being attacked by a group of teenagers after school in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs on Monday.
Police said the three children were walking home near Alkira Secondary School in Cranbourne North at 3.20pm when they turned around to see three hooded youths aged between 16 and 20 attacking them with a “variety” of weapons, including “knives” and “swords”.
Detective Inspector Mark Patrick said the three attackers, who are still at large, let out a collective scream before attacking Sabel Drive.
“It was like the battle cry when you go into battle, and it seemed to be intended to attract the attention of its victims to create fear in them,” he said at a press conference.
Patrick said officers suspected the 15-year-old victim, a college student, was directly targeted. He suffered multiple injuries to his back, arms and hands and is currently undergoing surgery at an inner-city hospital.
Patrick said his parents were “shocked and concerned about their son’s health.”
“They are concerned about revenge and motivation for why their son was attacked,” he said.
Police continued to search for multiple people involved in the incident Tuesday morning after the group fled the scene on foot.
It was learned that the attackers were not school students.
Investigators do not have a motive but have confirmed they are looking into whether any of the offenders have links to known gangs.
Police have appealed to the community in the Sabel Reserve and Moss Street areas of Cranbourne North to review CCTV footage and urge the attackers to hand themselves over to authorities.
“It’s frustrating for us to see constant knife-related assaults and assaults and items, knives at the ready. You look in your kitchen drawer and you pull out a knife,” Patrick said.
“There are definitely a few more weapons out there than were delivered.”
Paramedics from Ambulance Victoria’s Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance and Advanced Life Support treated the teenager on Monday.
An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said the child was transported to hospital in a serious condition with an upper-body injury.
Alkira Secondary School was providing medical support to those involved in the incident on Tuesday.
A Ministry of Education spokesman said the attack took place outside the school and outside school hours.
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