By Belinda Nolan
A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD boy was the youngest victim in a string of violent attacks which erupted during a night of madness on the streets of Brimbank and Maribyrnong last week.
The Sunshine boy suffered serious burns when a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of a Hampshire Rd home and landed on his mattress at around 3am on Thursday.
Paramedic Kate Scott said the boy had woken up to find the mattress on fire and had been injured while trying to escape the flames.
“The boy told us the whole room was on fire including his bedding,” Ms Scott said.
Police believe the attack is linked to a series of vicious stabbings committed in Braybrook on the same night.
Four teenagers were hospitalised after three separate attacks on Braybrook’s Burke St, believed to be gang related.
At around 9pm, an 18-year-old Hillside man was set upon with a machete during a sickening attack involving a group of up to 20 men.
The victim was chased by his machete-wielding attacker, receiving cuts to his head, back, stomach, elbow and hands.
He was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police say his attacker was of Islander appearance, while his accomplices were believed to be of both Asian and Islander descent.
A second stabbing occurred only two hours later when a fight broke out between two groups of men.
An 18-year-old Ardeer man was stabbed in the back three times, while a 17-year-old Sunshine West boy had his hands slashed in the bloody knife fight.
Both teenagers were taken to the Sunshine Hospital where their injuries were treated.
Police are still hunting for their attackers, who are described as Asian men.
Another teenager was stabbed at around 12.20am on Thursday morning.
The 17-year-old was standing in Burke St when he was attacked from behind and stabbed to the right wrist, left leg and upper back.
He was taken to the Sunshine Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
His attacker is described as a man of Asian appearance with brown hair who was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt at the time of the incident.
Detectives from the Sunshine Criminal Investigation Unit are investigating and believe the attacks are all linked.
Detective Sergeant Mark Guthrie said police were still trying to get to the bottom of the incidents and had yet to make any arrests.
He said the attacks were not linked to an earlier Molotov cocktail attack committed in Sunshine West on 25 January.
Anyone with any information about any of the incidents is urged to contact the Sunshine Criminal Investigation Unit on 9313 3333.
