Teen rushed to hospital with stab wounds after brawl at McDonald’s in Modbury

A teenage boy was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on his abdomen after being stabbed in a brawl between 30-50 people outside a McDonald’s at Modbury.

A police officer with a brand new baseball bat found after a brawl in a carpark at Tea Tree Plaza. Picture: Colin James

The stabbing of a teenage boy during a wild brawl has prompted calls for more security near one of Adelaide’s biggest shopping centres.

Police were called to a carpark at Tea Tree Plaza on Friday night when up to 50 youths began fighting with various weapons, including iron bars and baseball bats.

A 15-year-old boy suffered a serious stab wound to the abdomen during the melee, which ended with youths running off into nearby streets.

Tea Tree Gully deputy mayor Lucas Jones said there had been problems with youths at the nearby Tea Tree Plaza O-Bahn interchange for some time.

A police officer guards a rubbish bin containing a suspicious item believed to be linked to a brawl between two groups of youths. Picture: Colin James

Mr Jones said more CCTV cameras and security guards were required around Tea Tree Plaza and Civic Park, where youths often congregated.

“Unfortunately lately there has been an increase in complaints about certain young people known as eshays causing trouble for residents at the Tea Tree Plaza bus interchange along with Tea Tree Plaza itself,” he said

“I have seen first hand these young people intimidate, harass and fight each other at Tea Tree Plaza interchange and have heard of stories of them pick pocketing bus commuters walking back to their vehicles”

“We need more security guards present at Tea Tree Plaza Interchange, I only ever see security guards present on Thursday evenings.”

Police officers debrief following a search for items used in a brawl at Tea Tree Plaza. Picture: Colin James

Mr Jones said the brawl on Friday night was unacceptable behaviour by young people.“It is disappointing that a bunch of thugs think that it’s acceptable to run around our area with baseball bats and knives,” he said.

“I hope the individuals responsible for this face the full extent of the law”

The 15-year-old was stabbed in the abdomen when a large fight started on the corner of North East Rd and Reservor Rd at 11pm on Friday.

He was taken to Modbury Hospital in a critical condition before being transferred by ambulance to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he underwent surgery.

Uniformed SA Police officers searched Tea Tree Plaza following a large brawl between two groups of youths which left a 15-year-old boy with a stab wound. Picture Colin James / The Advertiser.

Witnesses have described seeing a large group of youths gathering in Civic Park, opposite the Westfield shopping centre, around 10pm.

They then moved to a carpark near a McDonald’s restaurant, where they confronted another group of youths with their weapons.

One worker at a nearby hotel, The Pickled Duck, said he later saw several youths run past its bottle shop being chased by police.

“

.@SAPoliceNews are guarding a bin at Tea Tree Plaza until forensic officers arrive to examine an item believed to be linked to a large brawl between two groups of youths on Friday which left a 15-year-old boy with stab wounds. Updates @theTiserpic.twitter.com/rrvOKBcKMs

— Col James (@ColinJamesTiser) June 25, 2021

They were running away from something,” said the worker, who asked not to be named.

“One of the regulars here came over to ask if we were alright and told us there had been a huge fight in the McDonald’s carpark.”

Officers sent to the scene on Saturday morning found a brand new baseball bat and various other items during a search of Civic Park and Tea Tree Plaza.

Anyone who witnessed the brawl or took mobile phone footage is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The brawl started in a carpark near a McDonald’s restaurant around 11pm on Friday. Picture Colin James / The Advertiser.