Three people have been stabbed in a violent altercation between two gangs at an Airbnb in Melbourne’s outer west, police say.
Police said they were called to a property on Everholme Drive, Truganina, about 4:45am on Saturday after eight to 10 offenders allegedly committed an aggravated home invasion.
Investigators believe the incident involved two opposing gangs.
Police said the unknown offenders stabbed three males inside the property, two of whom, aged 18 and 24, were taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“My understanding is that they have received surgery and are recovering well at this stage,” Detective Senior Constable Rhys MacLean-Currie said.
A third male was also injured but fled the scene while receiving treatment.
Senior Constable MacLean-Currie could not confirm if machetes were used during the attack.
“The only thing I can confirm regarding weapons used is a large knife, which we seized at the scene,” he said.
“However, there is a belief that there was also a number of batons and hardened weapons that were used in the incident.”
That may have included fishing or hunting knives, he said.
Police responded to a reported break and enter at the property. (ABC News)
Footage from the crime scene showed several police, ambulance and fire rescue crews in attendance, and smashed glass on the floor inside the house.
Senior Constable MacLean-Currie said investigators had described a crime scene that was “quite confronting”.
“There was quite a bit of damage and a significant amount of blood at the crime scene as a result of the stabbings that occurred.”
It’s understood several people who were in the house at the time spilled out onto the street following the stabbings and began arguing with emergency services.
Detective Senior Constable MacLean-Currie said two opposing gangs were believed to have been involved in the incident. (ABC News)
No one has been arrested over the incident so far.
‘It’s not safe for us,’ says neighbour
Neighbours told reporters that the home was regularly rented out as short-stay accommodation, attracting parties.
“If it happens every month, it’s not safe for us,” one resident said. “Not only our family but all our neighbours here.”
Senior Constable MacLean-Currie said the property, and a number of other short-stay accommodations in the area had been used for gang-related activity and out-of-control parties.
He said police would be conducting public assurance patrols in the area in coming days to try and restore public confidence.Â
“We do not believe that there is any ongoing risk to the community, and we will be working very diligently to arrest these offenders and bring them before the court and make them accountable for this behaviour.”
On Saturday morning, Police Minister Anthony Carbines defended the Victorian government’s machete amnesty, which begins on September 1.
He said there would be bins where people could legally surrender their machetes at 45 24-hour police stations across the state.
“Those who want to retain their machetes when the amnesty concludes face two years’ imprisonment or fines up to $40,000 — that’s a pretty significant incentive to get rid of them,” he said.Â
However, police have not confirmed whether machetes were used in the alleged attack at the Truganina house.
There were 685 stabbings across Victoria in the 12 months to July, an increase of 55 or 8.7 per cent from the year prior, police data shows.
Almost half of all stabbings occurred in residential locations.
Anyone with information about the Truganina incident has been urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.