Two teenagers have been charged after another teen was left fighting for life and his older brother suffered serious injuries in a knife brawl at an Adelaide shopping centre.
A violent knife fight broke out between four teens at Elizabeth City Centre in the city’s north around 2pm yesterday.
Crowds of horrified shoppers were forced to evacuate the centre as pools of the victims’ blood spilled onto the floor.
READ MORE: Teen charged with murder over fatal stabbing of 17-year-old near Sydney school
A 16-year-old boy suffered life-threatening injuries after he was stabbed in the leg with what he described as a fishing knife.
His 20-year-old brother was stabbed in the stomach.
The pair are recovering at the Royal Adelaide Hospital after undergoing emergency surgery.
spoke to the younger victim, who said he didn’t know his attackers had a knife.
Police have now charged two teenagers over the fight.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested yesterday, with footage from inside the centre showing police pouncing on a man.
He has since been charged with two counts of causing serious harm.
He was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on Monday.
A 17-year-old was arrested last night and charged with assault and affray.
READ MORE: Father-of-two gunned down during suspected gangland shooting in broad daylight in Sydney’s west
Police reassured the public the stabbing was not random and the victims knew their alleged attackers.
“I want to reassure the Elizabeth community that this was not a random incident,” Superintendent Amit Sareen said.
“Police responded quickly and apprehended the suspect at the scene, and have seized the weapon that was used.”
The centre was bolstered with security today as it reopened to the public.
“Just walking around, just felt like I needed to be a little bit more vigilant to make sure no one is approaching us,” shopper Edwin Atze said.
“You should be able to just go to Woolies without seeing someone with a knife,” shopper Jess Haffert said.
A security guard was stabbed at the same centre last year after chasing down two alleged shoplifters.
In September the SA government unveiled the country’s “toughest knife laws”, restricting and regulating the sale and display of weapons.
Police have also been given the power to search people at shopping centres for dangerous weapons.
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