Five teens charged over near-fatal stabbing at Watergardens Shopping Centre

Two teens arrested over a stabbing at Watergardens shopping centre were previously involved in a gang-linked brawl which claimed the life of Solomone Taufeulungaki.

Two of the five teenagers arrested after a near-fatal stabbing at Watergardens Shopping Centre on Wednesday night were previously involved in a gang-linked brawl at the Brimbank shops which claimed the life of Solomone Taufeulungaki in 2020, a court has heard.

The alleged victim was on Thursday night in intensive care at Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition.

A Children’s Court on Thursday heard he lost so much blood after the stabbing that he would likely have died on the way to hospital had the ambulance he was riding in not been met by a second ambulance carrying blood transfusions.

Three 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old faced court charged with affray, while the 14-year-old who allegedly plunged a knife into the victim’s chest before fleeing was charged with intentionally causing serious injury and affray.

They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Emergency services outside of Watergardens shopping centre. Picture: Rebecca Borg.

It is alleged the victim, 19, and his sidekick, 24, were dealing Xanax tablets at the shopping centre when they approached the teens, who were sitting on a park bench.

A Victoria Police Detective, who also cannot be named, said the park benches were directly under security cameras.

The group made their way to a nearby toilet block, where the five attackers allegedly turned hostile, the Detective said in a summary of the police allegations.

It is alleged one of them yelled out: “give me the f*cking Xannies”.

The dealers were then pushed into the corner of a toilet cubicle, with one being held by the neck.

An unknown attacker pulled a knife, prompting the trapped drug dealer and his sidekick to barge their way out of the toilet block into a nearby plaza, which was paked with people doing their Christmas shopping and eating dinner.

The precise details of the stabbing are unclear, as neither the victim nor the 14-year-old have spoken with police.

One of the 17-year-olds granted bail on Thursday was on bail at the time of the stabbing and was banned from contacting one of his co-accused.

Solomone Taufeulungaki was fatally stabbed in 2020.

“I believe if he was granted bail today he would be danger to the public,” the detective said.

One of the young men found guilty of violent disorder following the 2020 stabbing death of Solomone Taufeulungaki, smirked at his supporters during his bail application.

He was released with a stern warning to obey a curfew and not associate with his co-accused.

“You’re someone who has been a party to a killing,” the magistrate said after ordering his release on strict conditions.

The other young men found found guilty of violent disorder following Solomone Taufeulungaki‘s life will return to court in January to apply for bail.

The Magistrate said he need “significant support” if he was to be released following the “very significant” previous act of violence he was involved in.

All of the teens were arrested at Watergardens train station after two nurses stopped to help the victim and a group of shoppers and diners chased the 14-year-old, who allegedly ran off to find his mates after the stabbing.