Shoppers call for beefed up security after an 11-year-old allegedly shot a projectile in a shopping centre

An 11-year-old boy will face a youth court after he allegedly used a toy gun to shoot a projectile in a shopping centre, with patrons calling for better security across shopping centres.

Shoppers call for beefed up security after an 11-year-old boy modified a toy gun to shoot a projectile inside a Westfield shopping centre in West Lakes. Picture: Dean Martin

An 11-year-old boy’s alleged firing of a modified toy gun inside a major Adelaide shopping centre, injuring a woman, has sparked renewed calls for a review of security guard powers.

The boy will face the Youth Court in April after the incident at Westfield West Lakes about 11am on Sunday.

According to police, the boy allegedly inserted a “sharp projectile” into a toy, allowing it to be fired at a female shopper.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens commented on the incident in a press conference on Monday.

“Unfortunately, this young boy has modified a fairly harmless toy and used it to inflict a small amount of harm on another person,” Mr Stevens said.

Mr Stevens said police would not disclose the type of toy used in the incident, so as not to allow anyone to copy the behaviour.

Security officers patrol Westfield West Lakes, where a boy of 11 allegedly injured a female shopper with a sharp projectile on Sunday. Picture: Dean Martin

The boy was charged with assault and carrying an offensive weapon in a school or public place. He was bailed to appear before the Port Adelaide Youth Court in April.

The female shopper was treated at the scene for her injury, police said.

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association SA secretary Josh Peak said it was “another concerning incident” that demonstrated the need for a review of shopping centre security – particularly looking at guards’ level of training and powers – and safety at major centres.

“It doesn’t make sense to us that there are rules in place that prevent security guards from intervening,” he said.

“We think that we should have really clear guidelines that outline how many security guards should be present at our major shopping centres at all times and a review of the powers that security guards have so that they can intervene when it’s safe for them to do so to keep the community and shop workers safe.”

On Monday, Anna Markovic, who was shopping at Westfield West Lakes, said it was time to beef-up security at shopping centres.

“I think these places can be pretty overwhelming, especially around this time when it is so busy, so it’s really concerning,” she said.

“Having more of a security presence, it would really stamp down on that kind of behaviour.

“Those internal consequences would be a lot better than penalties that go through an already crowded legal system.”

A Westfield West Lakes spokeswoman said the incident was a police matter.

‘The safety of our customers, business partners and people is our highest priority,” she said. “We work very closely with authorities including police.”

An investigation is continuing.

Sunday’s incident is the latest in a string of shopping centre incidents in SA.

Last week, a boy was arrested following a brawl at Westfield Tea Tree Plaza that was broken up by a group of Adelaide mums.

Westfield Marion was also locked down last year after a teenage brawl.

Originally published as Shoppers call for beefed up security after an 11-year-old allegedly shot a projectile in a shopping centre