Westfield Geelong brawl: Wild moment eight teenagers exchange blows at a food court in front of terrified shoppers
Shocking footage captured the moment eight teenagers became involved in a wild brawl in the middle of a shopping center food court.
Footage of the fight shows a group of boys fighting in Westfield Geelong, 70km southwest of Melbourne, about 3pm on Wednesday.
Eight youths kicked and punched a boy to the ground before a security guard intervened.
Even with security and several store owners nearby yelling at the boys to stop, they continued to punch and kick the boy to the ground.
Ultimately, the guard was able to place himself on the ground between the boys and the child, de-escalating the situation.
Up to eight youths were involved in a brawl (above) at the Westfield Geelong food court on Wednesday
One witness, who asked to remain anonymous, said they were restocking shelves at a nearby store when the fight broke out.
He told the Geelong Advertiser the brawl as ‘quite confrontational’ and said the targeted boy was alone when the pack showed up.
“The other kid who wasn’t in line said, ‘No, leave me alone, I’m just trying to get lunch here’… he started getting hammered,” he said..
His boss, who also wished to remain anonymous, said youth gangs have become a common sight at the mall, especially in the late afternoon.
“They’re throwing food everywhere, they’re shoplifting, they’re going into Coles, stealing whipped cream and throwing it around,” she said.
“I have young employees who don’t want to stay in the store alone because they’re too afraid of them.”
The boys (above) allegedly targeted a child who was eating alone and were filmed kicking him to the ground
She said there had been an increase in crime in the area, forcing her to close her shop early or increase staff for afternoon shifts – with both options costing money.
Senior Constable Claudia Quadara confirmed that police are investigating the incident.
The children involved in the fight had already left before officers arrived.
Anyone with information or CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Westfield for comment.