17-year-old boy in court after alleged youth street gang members ‘brawl with machetes’ in Rundle Mall

A 17-year-old boy was wearing an ankle bracelet and already on bail when he was allegedly part of a mass CBD street brawl that included machetes, a court has heard.

A Rundle Mall worker who witnessed a street gang fight outside her shop involving a machete said she first thought the altercation was “just something for Halloween”.

Three teenagers were charged, including a 17-year-old boy on bail wearing an electronic monitoring device, after the brawl between six youths at the intersection of Rundle Mall and King William Rd, just after 6pm on Thursday night.

One boy, aged just 14, allegedly wielded a machete and CCTV footage from Sushi Hub showed a hooded figure striking another person before giving chase.

Store supervisor Isu Liu, 25, directed staff to shut the roller door when she realised the attack was real and none involved were wearing Halloween costumes.

“I was really shocked by people’s reactions – it’s like no one was really reacting to what was happening,” Ms Liu said.

Wild vision shows the horrific Rundle Mall knife fight. Picture: 7NEWS

“They were swearing at each other, one of them had a glass bottle and threw it at someone.

“Recently, I’ve heard about teens fighting around shopping centres, but I didn’t think it would happen here.”

SA Police’s youth gang taskforce Operation Meld is still searching for the other three people involved.

The three arrested – a 14-year-old from Blakeview, a 17-year-old from Adelaide and a 15-year-old from Semaphore Park – have been charged with aggravated affray.

The Blakeview boy allegedly had a machete and was also charged with carrying an offensive weapon.

Mr Duval told media on Friday the 17-year-old “has a strong affiliation with a known street youth gang”.

“The other two youths are considered associates of that gang,” he said.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, faced the Adelaide Youth Court on Friday morning charged with affray and possessing cannabis.

The court heard the teenager is currently on bail for charges including criminal trespass and firearms offences.

Prosecutors asked the court to remand the boy in custody given his alleged prior offending, and the risk posed to the community.

“It’s alleged he’s one of six persons who took part in an affray on the corner of King William Street and Rundle Mall just before 6pm last night,” the prosecutor said.

“It is a particularly built up area, and the allegation is that a fight commenced between the six parties and one person entered the affray sporting a machete. That person is not alleged to be this defendant.”

He said the co-accused, who allegedly had the machete, had been granted police bail with the conditions he not contact any of the others charged over the incident.

“Participation in such brazen conduct is a risk to the safety of the community, particularly in a built up area at such a busy time. We’re lucky no one was injured, seriously or otherwise,” the prosecutor said.

The court heard the boy had been wearing an electronic monitoring device – a condition of his existing bail – during the time of the alleged offending, which placed him at the location.

He then allegedly went home, changed his clothes and re-entered the city where he was then arrested by police.

The teen’s lawyer asked Auxiliary Magistrate Ted Iuliano to give his client another chance on bail, noting the boy was not the suspect who allegedly held a machete during the altercation.

“Your Honour, the affray charge is contested,” his lawyer said.

“I note his alleged involvement was also not the most serious, and his co-accused is charged with having a machete. That person was released on police bail.

“My client is not attending school, and has no intention to re-engage, but wants to start a trade. He’s looking for an apprenticeship as a plumber.

“He should be afforded another opportunity on bail.”

Mr Iuliano remanded the boy in custody and ordered a home detention bail inquiry report.

He will return to court next week for the outcome of his bail application.

The 15-year-old and 14-year-old have been bailed to attend the Adelaide Youth Court on December 18.

Operation Meld was formed in 2021 to tackle criminal offending by groups of youths.

Mr Duval said “tension exists all the time” between the two groups but the cause of Thursday’s fight was unknown.

“When these two groups come together, there’s a bit of an unknown,” he said. “What causes us concern is when it’s in a very public place like Rundle Mall.

“When that tension becomes heightened, it’s something that we try to monitor very closely with our intelligence.”

He said it was “difficult to say” if tensions were escalating.

“The complete disregard for public safety is something that’s extremely concerning,” he said.

Mr Duvall said the youth gangs were evolving and members had expanded further than one ethnic group, which was previously the focus of Operation Meld.

“No longer is it just one particular group of people and they are expanding their involvement,” he said.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as 17-year-old boy in court after alleged youth street gang members ‘brawl with machetes’ in Rundle Mall