A 25-year-old woman was reportedly attacked by an unidentified male while walking inside the M-City Shopping Centre in Clayton shortly before 8 a.m.

A bystander quickly came to her assistance and notified emergency services by calling Triple Zero.

“Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics were dispatched to the scene to assess and treat the victim,” a spokesperson from Ambulance Victoria reported.

The woman was subsequently transported to The Alfred hospital, where she is in serious but stable condition with injuries to her upper body.

The suspect, a 16-year-old boy, allegedly fled the scene but was apprehended soon after at a medical center nearby in Clayton.

The teenager faces multiple charges, including intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, assault with a weapon, possession of a controlled weapon, theft, and committing an indictable offense while on bail.

The boy, from the Stonnington area, was remanded to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

M-City Shopping Centre management has deployed additional security as a precautionary measure.

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