Shopping centre locked down after violent altercation
Two teenage boys have been arrested after a violent altercation broke out in South Australia's largest shopping centre.
On Sunday afternoon, three boys allegedly confronted another group of teens at the Westfield Marion centre’s food court armed with “expandable batons”, with reports one of the boys was also armed with a knife.
The violent altercation triggered Westfield’s emergency lockdown and evacuation procedures, with alarms blaring throughout the centre and major storefronts locking their doors to keep shoppers safe.
Heavily armed specialist police officers stormed the centre in search of the teens, but they were unable to be found.
Following hours of investigating, two boys, aged 15 and 16, were found, arrested and charged with assault, affray and aggravated robbery.
The two teens will appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on Monday afternoon, and police continue to search for any outstanding suspects.
Assistant Commissioner Duval said police knew the identity of a third offender, and encouraged him to turn himself in.
“His identity is known, and at some point we will catch up with him,” he told Today.
Duval said police believe the boys knew each other and it was "not a random attack".
He also confirmed that police had seized two expandable batons from the teens, explaining, "It's a baton that effectively expands, not dissimilar to what police would use."
"Certainly the possession of them is very concerning, that formed part of the allegation of what these boys were charged with."
Following the incident, a spokesperson for Westfield issued a statement saying the safety of customers, business partners and people is their "highest priority".
Image credits: Nine News