Heavily armed police have stormed a Westfield in Adelaide and shoppers have been evacuated after reports of an armed offender.
Police are hunting for three boys after a violent altercation in a major Adelaide shopping centre triggered a lockdown and massive emergency response.
The chaos kicked off about 3pm on Sunday afternoon after the three boys allegedly approached another group of boys at the Westfield Marion centre’s food court armed with “expandable batons”.
South Australian Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said a scuffle occurred and there were reports of a knife.
The violence triggered Westfield’s emergency lockdown and evacuation procedures, with alarms blaring throughout the centre and major storefronts locking their doors to keep shoppers safe.
Heavily armed specialist tactical officers stormed the centre and swept through it across the afternoon to find the alleged offenders.
Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said the boys had not yet been located, but he expressed confidence they would be found.
