Men allegedly involved in Northland machete affray were out on bail at the time of attack

Six out of seven young men arrested for the shocking machete attack at Northland Shopping Centre were out on bail at the time, including the alleged ringleaders.

A teenage boy arrested over a violent machete brawl at Northland shopping centre was allegedly part of a youth gang known as “8RS” and on bail at the time.

Abel Sorzor, 18, from Thornhill Park, faced Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with affray, weapon and bail offences after violence broke out between alleged rival youth gangs at the Preston shopping centre on Sunday afternoon.

Police allege the teenager was part of a youth gang called “8RS” and subject to bail conditions prohibiting him from carrying weapons or associating with one of his co-accused.

According to court documents, Mr Sorzor was with three other youths when they encountered a rival gang near a toilet block about 2.30pm.

“It is unclear whether the two groups organised to meet each other or came across each other by chance,” a police summary alleges.

The groups allegedly moved to an outdoor dining area before violence erupted in a nearby alleyway.

Police allege both gangs began pushing and punching each other before Mr Sorzor’s group pulled machetes hidden in their pants and began slashing.

A man wielding a Machete at Northland Shopping centre in was been arrested. Picture: Seven News

The fight allegedly spilt into an underground carpark, where the fighting escalated as members of both groups continued to punch, kick and strike each other with the blades.

Mr Sorzor’s group then allegedly ran back into the centre, with the rival group in pursuit.

One of Mr Sorzor’s co-accused allegedly turned and slashed his pursuer in the head with a machete, leaving a deep gash and possible fractured skull.

That co-accused was then allegedly tripped by a member of the public and set upon by the rival gang, who punched and kicked him in the head.

He was then restrained by shoppers until police arrived, while the rival group was escorted by security outside the shopping centre.

Another member of Mr Sorzor’s group allegedly fled on foot before he returned and was arrested.

The rest of Mr Sorzor’s group — still armed with machetes — allegedly fled in a vehicle.

Mr Sorzor went to Melton Police Station on Tuesday where he was arrested.

Police said the shopping centre was packed with thousands of innocent bystanders at the time.

“The sheer terror these people experienced cannot be understated,” a police summary states.

“Civilians were forced to jump out the way, shelter and protect their loved ones (including small children) and were even caught up in the scuffle.

“The people who witnessed this incident will be psychologically affected for the rest of their lives.”

In court on Wednesday, it was revealed Mr Sorzor was already on bail — which was then revoked — and a good behaviour bond.

His lawyer told the court he was still recovering from a stab wound he sustained six or seven months ago which required medical attention.

Mr Sorzor did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody to reappear in court next month.

The fighting at Northland escalated as members of both groups lashed each other with machetes. Picture: Facebook

Police have now arrested all seven people allegedly involved in the brawl.

A 21-year-old Kew man — who sustained head injuries — and an 18-year-old Derrimut man were bailed to face court in July.

Both were already on bail at the time.

In a children’s court on Monday afternoon it was revealed two boys, aged 15 and 16, were also on bail at the time of the attack.

They were remanded in custody, with one of them expected to apply for bail on Friday.

Two others, a 20-year-old Thornbury man, also on bail at the time, and an 18-year-old Bundoora man were also bailed to face court in July.

It comes as retailers reported a spike in machete sales just hours after Jacinta Allan ordered shops to pull the weapons from their shelves, ahead of a looming statewide ban on large knives.

The premier announced the sale of machetes will be illegal from midday Wednesday, as part of a blitz to choke supply before an already-legislated statewide ban comes into effect in September.

Victoria’s fast-tracked crackdown on machetes passed through parliament in March, following the Herald Sun’s Suburbs Under Siege campaign, which exposed the escalating wave of youth crime across the state.

Originally published as Men allegedly involved in Northland machete affray were out on bail at the time of attack