The grieving father of one of the two boys slain in a suspected gang-related incident in Melbourne has expressed a desperate plea for justice, asserting that his son ‘is a basketball player, not a criminal.’

Authorities arrived at Marble Drive in Cobblebank, 33 kilometers west of Melbourne’s central area, shortly before 8pm on Saturday after receiving reports of a person with severe injuries.

On arrival, paramedics found a 12-year-old boy with critical stab wounds. He died at the scene.

A short time later, police responded to a second call less than 200 metres away on Cobble Street. 

There, a 15-year-old boy, identified as Dau Akueng, was found seriously injured. He too could not be saved and died at the scene.

Dau’s father, Elbino Akueng, shared with reporters on Sunday that his son, along with the other victim, was near their home after attending a session at a local basketball stadium.

‘I’m talking right now in behalf of my community,’ Mr Akueng said.

‘In this month, four kids in similar incidents and there is no answer from police. There is no answer for justice. 

‘I told the police last night that I need an answer for my son. My son is just gone…like this.

‘He is a basketball player, not a criminal.’

Mr Akueng is a security guard and works hard to protects others, but didn’t feel as though his loved ones were protected. 

‘I protect the community, but no one protects my family at home,’ he said.

‘I am a part of this society, a part of this community. I will protect people where I work, but no one protects my family at home.

‘I protect people outside of their homes, and then I come home and a loved one is not there. What do we say? We’ve asked for answers.

‘Who killed my son? Where is my son? This case will go on and on.’

When asked to described his son, Mr Akueng broke down.

Another family member said, ‘Dau loved basketball. He loved to joke around, he loved to make friends.’

Victoria Police confirmed homicide squad detectives were investigating both deaths, which are believed to be linked. 

Officers are treating the incident as a targeted attack, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.

Witnesses reported a black SUV in the area around the time of the stabbings, which detectives are examining as part of their inquiries. 

One recalled hearing the 12-year-old scream ‘someone please help me’. 

Law enforcement set up crime scene vans and an SES tent while they searched the area for clues and spoke with nearby residents, including teenagers who might have seen what happened.

Locals described the suburb as usually calm and family-oriented. 

A woman was seen crying hysterically on Marble St about 9pm as family members  tried to comfort her.

It’s understood parents and neighbours said other children were unaccounted for. 

One Marble Street resident, who has lived there for seven years, told the Herald Sun: ‘It’s always really quiet here.’

The murders have left the Cobblebank community reeling, with shocked neighbours gathering near the cordons late into the night. 

Victoria’s Opposition Leader Brad Battin told The Herald-Sun the horrific scene was a ‘tragic outcome of the crime crisis’ in the state.

‘Too many Victorians have been victims of crime. Last night, two more Victorians were tragically added to that tally,’ he said.

‘When addressing the crime crisis, we must always remember its human impact. These aren’t mere numbers; they symbolize lives cut short, families devastated, and communities irreversibly altered.’

Anyone with information is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

More to come…