Chilling CCTV footage of an alleged fight between two groups of teenagers over a designer hoodie that shut down one of Adelaide’s largest shopping centers has been aired publicly for the first time.
The incident took place at Adelaide’s Westfield Marion Center shortly before 3pm on Sunday, prompting widespread reports of an armed person inside and a massive police response.
CCTV footage dated 2.46pm obtained by Seven News showed a panicked boy trying to run away before being intercepted by another three meters from a takeaway outlet in the food court.
Two of the accused attackers were reportedly brandishing extendable batons, while the third was armed with a machete.
Police allege the boy had his $155 Trapstar hoodie stolen off camera.
Two boys, ages 15 and 16, were arrested and each charged with assault, affray and aggravated robbery, South African police announced Monday.
A third boy, also 15, was later charged with the same offenses after he was allegedly seen pulling a machete out of his pants and police caught him wearing the stolen designer hoodie.
The youths are alleged to have carried a machete and batons while attempting to rob another boy of his designer sweater.
The altercation prompted Westfield staff to raise the alarm, triggering a lockdown in horrific scenes reminiscent of the deadly Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing massacre two months ago.
Terrified families were among those caught up in the chaos at Westfield Marion on Sunday.
Thousands of shoppers fled the scene while others were locked inside stores for two hours until police declared the site safe shortly after 5 p.m.
Seven News reported that police are reviewing security cameras, along with hours of additional security video footage that captured the movements of the allegedly armed trio throughout the centre.
The three youths will reappear before the Adelaide Youth Court in July.
Deputy Commissioner Scott Duval previously said police had received reports of two groups fighting in the food court.
“(A group) approached another group of boys and an altercation ensued,” he told reporters Sunday night.
“The extendable batons are already visible and, at this time, we cannot rule out other weapons.”
Three boys allegedly chased another group of teenagers through downtown and into the David Jones store.
Heavily armed police officers had secured the Adelaide shopping center by 5pm and all remaining customers were allowed to leave.
A 77-year-old woman suffered a shoulder injury while fleeing the center and another person in her 30s injured her knee.
A young woman, who was at the movie theater when the commotion began, told ABC News how it unfolded.
“We were at the movie theater and we heard a noise that said ’emergency’… and no one really knew what it was, if it was a phone or something,” he said.
“Someone came out of the theater and suddenly everyone came in running, running, shouting ‘run, run.’
“Then we got up and started running towards the emergency exit.”
Large digital screens inside the center warned the public about an armed criminal in the complex.
Images from shoppers on social media showed armed officers storming the center as dozens of people tried to run to safety.
The closure comes less than three months after a man armed with a 30cm knife attacked shoppers at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney’s east, killing six people, including a security guard.
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