Two teenagers charged after two injured in Westfield Marion evacuation
Shoppers have told of their fears as Westfield Marion was locked down and evacuated following a brawl between armed groups of teens.
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Three teenagers have been arrested over a brawl at Westfield Marion on Sunday that sent the complex into lockdown and had shoppers fearing they were caught in the crossfire of a Bondi-style killing spree.
A fight between two groups of teens that broke out in the food court sparked panic and a massive police presence including STAR Group officers around 3pm on Sunday.
SA Police revealed on Monday morning that two boys, aged 15 and 16 of Mitchell Park and Adelaide, had been arrested and charged with assault, affray and aggravated robbery.
Police also seized two expandable batons.
Those teens appeared in the Adelaide Youth Court on Monday. Later on Monday, police revealed they had arrested a third youth – a Morphett Vale boy, 15 – and charged him with assault, affray and aggravated robbery.
He is expected to appear in the Christies Beach Youth Court as early as Monday afternoon.
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One shopper, who did not wish to be named, said she was in a changing room trying on clothes when the evacuation happened. “It’s so scary – for it to happen in Adelaide after what happened in Sydney is terrifying,” she said.
Another shopper called Ashlee said she had been “waiting for something like this to happen since Sydney”.
“At the time we had information that the fight involved three of those offenders, some of them armed with expandable batons,” Assistant Police Commissioner Scott Duval said.
“They approached another group of boys and an altercation occurred.
“Police responded and by the time police had got to the centre, Westfield had enacted their emergency procedures.”
Signs with the words ‘armed offender’ and ‘Escape, Hide, Tell’ appeared while an audible alert and evacuation alarm sounded throughout the centre as it went into lockdown.
Movies were stopped in the centre’s cinema complex and patrons were told to evacuate.
Outside, emotions ran high as people nervously waited to be reunited with loved ones.
Despite a “thorough search” of the centre, including rooftops, police were unable to locate the groups involved.
Mr Duval said police had not been able to rule out if the youths had other weapons but CCTV showed them chasing the other boys through the centre and entering David Jones where the police investigation began. “We do have some reports that a knife may be involved,” he said.
“At this stage we know the identity of two of the victims.
“I would say that it’s clear from the vision that this is not a random attack.
“The boys would appear to be known to each other, but obviously we’re still in the early days of investigation of the incident.”
Mr Duval said the intentions of the attack were not clear.
“It does not appear that the three boys were intending on targeting anyone else in the centre.”
He confirmed no one was injured as a result of the altercation but two people sustained injuries in the evacuation.
“I’m aware that in the evacuation process we had a female who I believe is 77 years of age might have fallen and suffered a fracture,” Mr Duval said.
“I also understand there was a young girl around the age of 14 who again might have been injured.”
Charlie’s Club Sandwich worker Katlyn Whittaker, 22, watched the incident unfold and said a group of around 12 was involved.
“I saw a group of teenage boys, also known as eshays, one of them threw a chair and then another kid whipped out a baton,” she said.
“No one was hit, no knives were involved, nothing.
“Unfortunately this isn’t uncommon but chairs are thrown in the food court all the time. They all ran off when we were told to evacuate.”
Karmal Dhaliwal, who owns Curry Choice in the food court, said she witnessed about five youths chasing a child with “a long knife”.
“They were trying to attack him and he was running away,” she said.
Ms Dhaliwal said within 20 minutes a “breathless” security guard was saying “there’s a random knife attack, go guys, evacuate” before everyone started running for the exits.
“We were really scared. It is not safe working in shopping centres anymore,” she said.
Ms Dhaliwal, who has owned Curry Choice for seven years, said Marion needed more security at the doors.
“These things could be prevented,” she said.
“When things like this happen people are afraid to go to the shopping centre for a few days after and it affects our business.”
VIDEO | People stuck inside Target staff room at Westfield Marion mall after armed person reported#breaking#OaklandsPark#Australiapic.twitter.com/p0M72DuYvm
— Bobby Ellison (@BobbyEllisonKY) June 23, 2024
BREAKING:
— The Noticer (@NoticerNews) June 23, 2024
Swat team sent in to Westfield Marion in Adelaide due to "teenagers" fighting - shopping centre in lockdown pic.twitter.com/HNyIMSORxl
Peter Scott, who works in Shoe Express, said he first became aware of the evacuation from a worker in a neighbouring store. “I was working away and then my neighbouring retailer walked up to me and said ‘we are both going to die today’,’’ Mr Scott said.
“Then I saw at least 100 humans charging down the mall towards me.’’
While Mr Scott evacuated, Chloe Andrews locked down in Kmart, sharing a video to Instagram.
“I came to Marion to buy a new bin, and it’s ended with myself and like 200 other people in Kmart’s stockroom as there is someone armed with a weapon in Marion,” Ms Andrews captioned the Instagram story. “I’m petrified.”
Thirteen-year-old Will Clark, who said he was at Marion with a mate when the sirens started, spoke to The Advertiser while locked in the Fast Times skate shop.
“We were running down the middle of the mall and all the shops were shut,’’ he said.
HAPPENING NOW: Westfield Marion has been forced into lockdown after reports of an armed offender. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/jlbWWpjAcr
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) June 23, 2024
Im in here they are evacuating everyone in here pic.twitter.com/Rq8L5NhdkH
— Nico Nacuse (@NicoNacuse08) June 23, 2024
currently locked in a sushi train at westfield marion :,) there was an attacker in david jones which we were JUST IN??? im safe ill keep you guys updated
— ☆ codyyy 🉠(@glitchingsharks) June 23, 2024
Will said he climbed under the door and was locked in with about 25 other people, including three children, and saw armed STAR Group officers and ambulance crews.
“Stuff is real and everyone in Fast Times is safe and just trying to stay under the radar.”
Shoppers bunkered down were told it was safe to leave around 5pm. “The threat has now passed, it is safe to exit,” the announcement said.
On April 13, 40-year-old Joe Cauchi stabbed and murdered six people and injured another 12, including a baby girl, at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre, before he was killed by police.
Westfield said SA Police took “full control” and “our team have been providing their full support to SA Police”.
It will reopen Monday.
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