Hand amputated after second shopping centre knife attack in Melbourne

A man has lost his hand in the first of two serious knife attacks at shopping centres in one major city over the weekend.

A man has lost his hand in the first of two serious incidents involving knives at Melbourne shopping centres over the weekend.

In the second incident, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

As of Monday morning, police are yet to announce arrests related to either incident.

These latest attacks come amid a spate of knife crimes at Melbourne shopping centres.

This weekend’s first incident happened on Saturday at the Central Square Shopping Centre in Altona Meadows, in the city’s southwest.

Police are yet to announce any arrests following the two knife incidents. Picture: NewsWire / David Geraghty

The Herald Sun reports the 33-year-old male victim had the lower part of an arm amputated at the Royal Melbourne Hospital on Sunday.

Police were called to the shopping centre about 8pm.

“(The victim) was approached by a group of males and pushed to the ground,” a police spokesperson said.

“It is alleged one of the offenders produced an edged weapon and struck the victim’s forearm, initially causing serious injuries. The offenders then fled the area with the victim’s phone.”

The weapon used is suspected to be a machete.

The second incident occurred in the northern suburb of Broadmeadows on Sunday about 6.30pm.

Police were called to Broadmeadows Central after a 17-year-old male was stabbed. The teenager was taken to hospital with critical injuries, the police spokesperson said.

“A crime scene has been established and the circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined,” they said.

Police were at the shopping centre on Monday morning.

“The investigation remains ongoing,” the spokesperson said.

A major brawl between rival gangs at a northern suburbs shopping centre in May sparked a statewide machete ban, which has already stopped stores selling them but criminalises possessing one as of September 1.

Just last Monday, a 44-year-old man was stabbed in the chest and neck outside the Moonee Ponds Central shopping centre. Police said the alleged offender had a history of mental health issues.

Barely an hour earlier, a 37-year-old man allegedly pulled a knife at a nearby cafe.

After these two Moonee Ponds incidents, Police Minister Anthony Carbines stressed that officers were recently given more power to stop and search people for weapons without a warrant.

“We’ve seen a record number of edged weapons seized in the past year and that’s a demonstration of the work police are doing to disrupt and dismantle crime in the community,” Mr Carbines told media last week.

In February, two men were stabbed outside a Bunnings in Broadmeadows, allegedly over a pair of stolen headphones.

Originally published as Hand amputated after second shopping centre knife attack in Melbourne