Seven people have been arrested this morning over the shock machete killing of two boys in Melbourne earlier this month.
Dau Akueng, 15, and Chol Achiek, 12, were attacked by a group of people wielding knives and machetes shortly before 8pm on Saturday, September 6, in Cobblebank.
The pair were found critically injured about 200m apart, with Chol on Marble Drive and Dau on Cobble Street.
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They both died at the scene.
This morning at 6am, police carried out warrants at properties in Melton South, Thornhill Park, Caroline Springs, Sunbury, Wollert, Hillside, and Sydenham.
A 19-year-old Thornhill Park man, a 19-year-old Caroline Springs man, an 18-year-old Wollert man, three 16-year-old boys, and one 15-year-old boy, have been arrested.
The boys were all from Melbourne's north-west.
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All seven people will now be interviewed by police.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O'Brien said the deaths of the boys were "senseless".
"I know many people will be feeling shocked, frustrated and concerned in light of this matter," he said.
"I want to reassure you that locally, police will have increased patrols in the area and are working closely with community groups."
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The community was left reeling in the wake of the boys' deaths, with one advocate in Melbourne's African community saying it and similar incidents had prompted parents to try to send their children to schools in Africa, for safety reasons.
"The only hope that you give to this family is to get this child in a safer place, and the only safer place is for the child to be away from this place for a short time," Africause chief executive Dr Ahmed told 9News previously.
"You can move the child here and there, but still the life threatening is in place. So I have to find [a]solution for them to send them back."
The Age previously quoted multiple anonymous sources suggesting the attack had been triggered by an online meme that referenced a separate stabbing last year.
Police have confirmed neither Akueng nor Chol had any youth gang affiliations.
"This is a basketball player, he's not a criminal," Dau's father Elbino Akueng said after the deadly attack.
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