Police originally asked for help to identify this teen seen inside Big W at South.Point on 17 November. Photos: ACT Policing.
UPDATED, Wednesday, 19 November: A teenager has been arrested after he allegedly threatened to kill a woman with a machete before hitting her with the weapon inside the Tuggeranong mall.
Multiple teenagers went to Big W at the South.Point shopping centre around 6 pm on Monday (17 November) when they allegedly got into an argument with a woman, who had never met them before, inside the store.
One of the group, a 17-year-old boy, allegedly pulled a machete out of his pants and threatened to kill her before striking her on the arm with it, causing bruising, an ACT Policing spokesperson said.
The teens fled the scene and police were called.
Police went to a Canberra home on Tuesday afternoon (18 November) and they arrested the 17-year-old.
He was charged with making a reckless threat to kill a person, assault and possessing an offensive weapon with intent.
He was scheduled to face the ACT Childrens Court on Wednesday (19 November).
TUESDAY, 18 November: A woman was allegedly confronted by a group of teenage boys she’d never met before inside the Tuggeranong mall when one pulled out a machete and hit her with it.
ACT Policing have released security camera photos of the boy alleged to have wielded the machete in an attempt to identify him.
Multiple teenagers went to Big W at the South.Point shopping centre around 6 pm on Monday (17 November) when they got into an argument with a woman inside the store, the spokesperson alleged.
It is alleged one of the teens produced a machete and struck the woman on the arm with it, causing bruising. All of the teens then fled the store.
Police officers arrived and detained a 14-year-old boy who will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date on a charge of possessing a knife in a public place.
This is not related to the machete.
Police also allegedly identified two more teens from the group and found them outside the mall.
“ACT Policing is seeking to identify a fourth teen who police believe struck the woman with the machete,” the police spokesperson said.
“He has dark hair and was wearing a dark hoodie and grey track pants.
“Officers are also seeking any witnesses to the incident who have not already spoken to police.”
If you can assist police, contact Crime Stoppers via the Crime Stoppers ACT website by clicking here. Quote 8220293.
When a person under the age of 18 commits an offence, they are legally unable to be publicly identified.
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