Tragedy Strikes Melbourne Suburb: Two Young Boys Brutally Stabbed to Death in ‘Senseless’ Attack
- Two boys, aged 12 and 15, were fatally stabbed in a brutal attack in Cobblebank, Melbourne’s outer-west
- Police are still searching for the masked assailants, believed to be a group of up to eight offenders
- The community is in shock, with calls for increased action to address youth crime and gang violence
Tragedy has struck the quiet Melbourne suburb of Cobblebank, where two young boys, aged 12 and 15, were brutally stabbed to death in a “senseless” attack on Saturday evening. The boys, who were friends, were set upon by a group of masked assailants in two separate incidents, just metres apart.
Emergency services were called to Marble Drive, where they found the 12-year-old boy with critical injuries. CCTV vision showed a group of three males chasing the boy through the street, with one offender throwing what appeared to be a bladed weapon at him. The assailants then attacked him on the ground before fleeing on foot.
A short while later, police found 15-year-old Dau Akueng seriously injured nearby on Cobble Street. Both boys died at the scene, leaving the community in shock and grief.
Dau was described as a “beautiful young man” and a “highly talented” basketball player who had a cheerful personality and was a leader among his peers. His father, Elbino Akueng, pleaded with authorities for answers, saying “We’ve buried in these two weeks … four kids. Similar incidents happening, there’s no answer from police.”
Police Minister Anthony Carbines described the boys’ deaths as “senseless” and an “indiscriminate crime”, saying he was moved by the comments of Dau’s grieving father. Authorities believe the alleged attackers had the “hallmarks of youth gang crime”, but the victims themselves were unlikely to be gang members.
The incident has sparked calls for increased action to address youth crime and gang violence in the area. Community members are mourning the loss of the two boys, with many expressing shock and outrage at the senseless violence.
As the investigation continues, police are urging anyone with information to come forward and assist in bringing the perpetrators to justice.