Thirteen teenagers and young men arrested over Wyndham Vale stabbing of Lino Atem

Thirteen teens and young men — including a 15-year-old boy — have been arrested over the stabbing death of a young man in Wyndham Vale.

Thirteen young people have been arrested in a cross-Melbourne wave of pre-dawn raids over the murder of Lino Atem at a Wyndham Vale Park.

The 24-year-old was stabbed to death in a gang attack of extraordinary violence in a park off Haines Drive on January 10 this year.

He had been with two mates and is suspected of being the victim of a mistaken identity ambush.

More than 160 police from the homicide squad, crime command and northwest metro were involved in a sweep of warrants executed on Tuesday morning.

Arrested at 5.30am were:

— a 15-year-old boy,

— four 16-year-old boys,

— two 17-year-old boys,

— an 18-year-old Werribee man,

— a 19-year-old Melton South man,

— a 20-year-old Hoppers Crossing man,

— a 20-year-old Braybrook man,

— a 22-year-old Hoppers Crossing man, and

— a 23-year-old Deanside man.

They will be interviewed later on Tuesday.

Deng Atem father of Lino and Atom, with a picture of Lino. Picture: Jason Edwards

Fifteen warrants were executed, two each at Deer Park, Werribee and Hoppers Crossing, along with Aintree, Manor Lakes, Sunshine West, Albanvale, Mornington, Deanside, Melton South, Keilor and Braybrook.

Two cars and other items were seized.

Lino was the second member of his family to be murdered within two years.

In February 2023, his brother Atem was shot dead during an incident at his Wyndham Vale home.

A 22-year-old man who was also at the property died in the attack and a 25-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries.

There is no suggestion of a link in the brothers’ deaths.

Detective acting Inspector Adam Shoesmith said Lino’s death was the subject to significant investigation by the Homicide Squad over the past two months.

Police at the scene of the stabbing. Picture: David Crosling

Insp Shoesmith said he hoped the arrests and warrants yield other breakthroughs.

“Lino was simply enjoying a night in the park socialising with friends when he was attacked. While we believe this incident was targeted, there is nothing to indicate why the group was attacked and police believe it is likely a case of mistaken identity,” he said.

“We know there are people out there who can help us identify those responsible. People who may have been present at the time of the incident, or people who may have heard information about these incidents after the fact.

“Whatever that information is — police want to hear it. It could be details about who was involved, how the incident took place or what the motivation for the attack was. Any small detail could be the thing that makes an enormous difference.

“We can’t imagine how difficult it must be for the Atem family knowing there are people out there who could help solve this and hold their loved one’s killers to account, and yet they are choosing not to.”