A man who intervened to assist a shopkeeper in Melbourne's west has sustained what a magistrate described as 'unsurvivable' injuries after being allegedly attacked by a group of youths. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon in Sunshine when the group allegedly attempted to steal items from a store, leading to a scuffle with an employee.
The 60-year-old man, who was working nearby, stepped in to help the shopkeeper but was subsequently assaulted by the group. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition. During a court hearing on Sunday, the magistrate stated that the man would die within days and that the charges of affray and intentionally causing serious injury were likely to be upgraded.
Five individuals—three boys aged 12, 13, and 15, and two 14-year-old girls—have been charged with affray, violent disorder, intentionally causing injury, and intentionally causing serious injury. During the court proceedings, the 12-year-old boy was refused bail, while the 13-year-old boy was granted bail. Authorities are petitioning to keep the remaining three in custody.
The alleged attack comes as Victorian Premier Ben Carroll recently introduced new retail worker protection laws. These laws aim to give courts the power to restrict access to workplaces for individuals who assault, intimidate, or stalk workers. Carroll condemned the incident, stating there is "no tolerance for this sort of behaviour" and that the actions will have lifelong consequences for both the victim and the alleged offenders.
Data from the retail crime intelligence platform Auror indicates a rise in violent incidents in Victorian retail settings, with a 10.5 percent increase in 2026 thus far, following a 29 percent spike in 2025. The Crime Statistics Agency reported over 7700 cases of crimes against individuals in Victorian retail settings in 2025.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson criticized the government's approach, contrasting the current Labor bill with a Liberal workplace protection bill that she claimed would have taken immediate effect, while Labor's measures are not slated to begin until mid-next year.