Two boys, aged 15 and 12, were fatally attacked by a group armed with long-bladed knives and machetes while walking home from a local basketball stadium in Cobblebank, west of Melbourne, prompting renewed criticism of Victoria’s recent machete laws and disposal amnesty.
The teenagers, identified by media as Dau Akueng, 15, and a 12-year-old friend, were set upon on Saturday night and died of critical injuries within metres of each other. Victoria Police said the attack was “likely a case of mistaken identity.” The victims’ families and community members rejected suggestions the boys were involved in gang activity; Dau Akueng’s father described his son as a basketball player who “loved to joke around, he loved to make friends.”
The killings came about a week after the state government fast-tracked an interim ban on the sale of machetes and introduced a three-month amnesty allowing people to hand in blades at police stations without penalty. More than 40 safe-disposal bins have been installed at stations across Victoria, and police ministers urged Victorians to use them to “dry up the supply” of machetes in the community.
The new laws make it illegal to own, use, carry, transport or sell specified knives without an exemption or valid approval. Convictions can carry penalties of up to two years in jail or fines exceeding A$47,000. Authorities have said exemptions apply for agricultural workers and for machetes with genuine traditional, historical or cultural significance.
The state’s sales ban was introduced after a violent clash at Northland Shopping Centre involving rival groups, and authorities say enforcement efforts have been extensive. A task force has conducted more than 573 in-store and online inspections and about 2,400 market-stall checks since May, finding a high level of compliance, Victoria Police said. Police statistics cited by the government show 14,805 edged weapons seized in 2024 and a further 8,900 confiscated between January and July of this year.
Despite those enforcement actions, the double killing has prompted sharp criticism on social media of the government’s approach, with commenters saying disposal bins and the sales ban have done little to prevent violence. Some posts suggested the measures were symbolic and questioned government spending on the bins. Authorities and ministers have urged restraint in online commentary and called for the public to allow police to investigate.
Police Minister Anthony Carbines encouraged people to hand in machetes during the amnesty, which runs until Nov. 30, while Premier Jacinta Allan has called on parents to hand in knives and machetes belonging to their children; officials have highlighted that children comprise about 25% of knife-crime offenders in the state.
Investigators have not publicly linked the Cobblebank killings to any broader criminal network. Victoria Police said inquiries remain under way and asked anyone with information or footage of the incident to come forward. Community leaders and the victims’ families have pushed for answers and for stronger measures to protect young people.
The deaths add to a string of recent incidents involving young victims and edged weapons that have fuelled debate in Victoria and across Australia about knife crime, retail access to large blades and the balance between prohibition and enforcement. South Australia implemented a similar ban on machetes and swords earlier this year; federal and state officials have said they are monitoring outcomes.
Police continue to investigate the Cobblebank attack. Authorities have not released further details about suspects, and it was not immediately clear whether arrests had been made. The state government has said the amnesty and enforcement activity are part of a broader response to knife-related harm, while community members have demanded further action to prevent more deaths.