Teenager Hospitalized After Brutal Brawl

An 18-year-old female was hospitalized with six stab wounds after being attacked by a group of up to 10 youths in Deer Park, a western suburb of Melbourne, on Wednesday evening. The assault occurred around 7:15 p.m. at Robert Bruce Reserve.

A 20-year-old woman was also involved in the incident but did not require hospitalization. The 18-year-old victim was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Horrifying footage captured the moment the teenager was thrown to the ground, kicked in the head, and stomped on before being repeatedly stabbed. Detective Acting Sergeant Ali Samie described the victim as being "lucky to be alive," emphasizing that the attack could have been fatal. "It only takes one millimetre and, we're talking about a homicide," Samie stated. "So we're very lucky in this case we're not having that conversation."

Police believe the group met following an online dispute and that the gathering may have been planned. Officers arrived at the scene to find the attackers had fled. No arrests have been made.

Two knives, an empty knife packet, and a hair extension were recovered from the scene and will undergo forensic examination.

The incident occurred a day after Victoria Labor announced plans to give police enhanced powers to search individuals for knives if re-elected. This initiative, known as Jack's Law, is named in memory of a teenager fatally stabbed in 2019 and has bipartisan support.

Premier Ben Carroll condemned the attack, calling it "shocking" and reiterated the need for a "zero tolerance approach" to knife crime. He assured that police would be provided with all necessary resources to combat such violence.