Police investigate after Aguer Akech Lual killed in St Albans
The devastated family of Aguer Akech Lual, who was killed following a violent brawl between youths in St Albans, say the teen was “a very good boy” who was “turning his life around” and refused to participate in violence.
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Two groups of African youths armed with knives, fence posts and sticks argued over a car before a 17-year-old boy was killed in Melbourne’s northwest at the weekend.
Aguer Akech Lual died after a brawl broke out after a tense stand-off between two groups of youths in St Albans early on Sunday morning.
Family said the youth had been ambushed after turning his life around.
Aguer had planned to fly to Sudan on Monday, and attend boarding school there. Relatives told Nine News while he had been in trouble with authorities he had joined sport and church groups and refused to participate in violence.
His mother, Martha Mayola, said she never thought her son would die like that. “He was a very good boy … he was not part of a gang,” she said.
Achol Marial, chair of the South Sudanese Community Association Victoria, said the teen and his mother were to fly to East Africa on Monday.
“He was due to leave with his mum,” Ms Marial said.
Police said on Monday the groups had clashed after a silver Commodore was taken earlier on Saturday after a soccer tournament at nearby Green Gully Reserve.
Police were last night still searching for the car.
The two groups arranged to meet at Keilor Plains railway station about 11.30pm on Saturday after the disagreement hours before.
After meeting at the station the groups went to nearby Fox St about 1.20am on Sunday before an argument broke out.
A chase took place before a confrontation occurred, which left Aguer, of South Australia, with fatal injuries. He collapsed and died on Regan St.
Police would not say yesterday what injuries he suffered.
Police say a number of people involved were armed with a variety of weapons including sticks, fence posts and knives.
Police said youths who were in the group that attacked Aguer left in three vehicles, including the silver 2005 Holden Commodore with South Australian registration S111 AZI, that was at the centre of the dispute.
Police do not have details about the other two vehicles.
Police arrested ten people from across both groups on the night.
All have now been released pending further inquiries.
Det Insp Day said up to 30 youths, aged in their early teens to early twenties, were believed to have been involved in the affray.
Homicide Squad detectives are urging anyone who witnessed or heard any suspicious activity in the area between 11pm on Saturday December 21 and 2am on Sunday December 22 to come forward.
They want to speak to anyone who found any suspicious objects in their yards or driveways.
A map of an area of interest surrounding the incident has been released by police and they are asking those who live or travelled in the area around the time to come forward and to check any CCTV or dash-cam footage they may have.
Investigators want to talk to anyone with knowledge of that incident and those involved.
Detective Inspector Tim Day, head of the Homicide Squad, said some people in the local community will know who is responsible for the death.
“This is a dispute between two groups who are known to each other that has escalated with tragic consequences,” he said.
“We now have a family and a community in mourning and I have no doubt there are people who were involved in the dispute or have heard accounts, who are yet to speak to police and know what happened.
“I am asking those people to come forward and help us, especially if you have information about who has been directly involved in inflicting the fatal injuries.
He said some of the youths arrested on the weekend were known to police but detectives did not believe it was an organised “gang” attack.
He would not confirm if the victim was known to officers or how he died.
Det Insp Day said there was “no doubt” police would find the person or persons responsible for Mr Lual’s death.
“There’s no doubt at all that we will get to a stage of identifying most, if not all of the people involved here,” he said.
“Members of the community will know who was here and who was actually involved.
“In the fullness of time we will identify the person who has inflicted the fatal wounds.”
Det Insp Day said it was “concerning” for such violence to occur in the heart of a community.
“For this type of activity to occur, for 20 to 30 young males to be fighting in the street with weapons is of concern to us.
“It’s always concerning.”
Mr Lual has family in Melbourne but was currently living in South Australia.
George Mikhail, 35, heard police arrive early on Sunday morning.
“My dad heard sirens at around 4am. Then suddenly he saw 20 policemen arrive,” he said. “I didn’t hear any gunshots.”
Many residents were woken up by sirens and helicopters circling the scene.
Victoria Sivakov, who has lived in her St Albans home for 15 years, said it is the “first time anything like this” had happened.
“At times we have had some fights at the train station across the road with young kids, but nothing like this.”
Police marked evidence on either side of the railway tracks, paying close attention to a silver Honda Civic left in the station carpark.
Another resident who gave a statement to police told the Herald Sun she heard a group of male voices outside her house around the time.
“I heard them shouting and swearing at around 1.30am,” she said. “They must have scattered soon after because things quietened down pretty quickly.”
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Opposition leader Michael O’Brien said youth violence was “a massive problem in Victoria” and that gang activity and thefts spiked during summer school holidays.
Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said: “We are equipping Victoria Police with the tools and the numbers they need to address this concern. They have task forces which are dedicated to youth crime.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at crimestoppersvic.com.au.