https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-24/teenagers-arrested-westfield-marion-shopp...Teenagers arrested over Westfield
Marion Shopping Centre fight that triggered lockdown
By Josephine Lim
Posted 2h ago
2 hours ago
, updated 15m ago
Police say overnight they arrested two boys,
aged 15 and 16, and charged them with assault, affray and aggravated robbery.
In short: Two teenage boys have been arrested after a fight sent the Westfield Marion shopping centre into lockdown on Sunday.
The boys have been charged with assault, affray and aggravated robbery.
What's next? Police are still looking for other suspects.
Two teenagers who police say allegedly robbed a male of his clothing have been arrested after the incident sent a major shopping centre in Adelaide's south-west into lockdown yesterday.
Police say just before 3pm on Sunday, two groups of boys were fighting in the food court of the Westfield Marion shopping centre, with reports some had weapons.
Centre management activated an alert and evacuation alarm, and the centre went into lockdown.
A number of police swarmed the centre to search for the groups involved but did not find them.
Police say overnight they arrested two boys, aged 15 and 16, and charged them with assault, affray and aggravated robbery.
Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said the fight started when three boys approached another group of boys at the centre's food court.
"What we'll allege is it's effectively motivated by the robbery of clothing," Assistant Commissioner Duval told ABC News Breakfast.
"They were targeting clothing from one of the male victims and during that, one of the weapons were produced and that became the cause of the incident that caused Westfield Marion to effectively put their emergency procedures in place for the purpose of public safety."
He said the altercation was not a random attack.
"How that meeting occurred in the food court is still to be determined but sufficed to say the groups were known to each other," Assistant Commissioner Duval said.
Police seized two expandable batons during the pair's arrest.