'Everyone is afraid': WAYNE FLOWER reports from the menacing streets of Sunshine - dubbed 'Darkness' by locals - after a gang of children allegedly beat a hero shopkeeper to the brink of death

By WAYNE FLOWER, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 16:06, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 16:11, 5 August 2026 In Sunshine, where a gang of children allegedly beat shopkeeper Van Viet Truong, 60, to the brink of death, some locals believe the suburb should be renamed 'Darkness'.  On Wednesday it was bitterly cold and wet on the shopping strip in Melbourne's west where the brave shopowner was allegedly attacked by the teenage thugs.  Mr Truong was attempting to prevent a robbery from a clothes shop two doors down when he was allegedly bashed by the group of youngsters aged between 12 and 15. His head injuries were described as 'unsurvivable' by police, and he remains in a critical condition in hospital. He and his wife and mother-in-law ran Hong Hung Asian grocers for more than 20 years - but it now lies shuttered and abandoned. A sign on the roller door tells customers it was closed due to 'an unexpected family emergency' - but everyone along Hampshire Road knows full well what happened. And they told Daily Mail it sadly wasn't that unexpected. But Sunshine traders say Mr Truong was not the kind of man to stand back and watch his neighbours become victims of crime.  In Sunshine, where a gang of children allegedly beat shopkeeper Van Viet Truong, 60, (pictured) to the brink of death, some locals believe the suburb should be renamed 'Darkness'  Van Viet Truong is seen on CCTV (near, white circle) in the moments before he was allegedly assaulted For years now, traders claim Victoria Police have all but abandoned them in the face of the young thugs lurking outside their doors and terrorising the neighbourhood. 'This place is called Sunshine, but maybe it should be Darkness,' one trader said.  'We need more security or police to help Sunshine better. Make the people not scared ... please the government, help Sunshine get more better and more police to come.' On Wednesday, the Daily Mail spent several hours along the bustling shopping street and did not observe a single police officer or marked police vehicle.  Traders claimed police finally came out after the weekend attack, but only to 'put on a show for the cameras'.  'We saw them walking three across,' one man said.  Victoria Police dispute the claim.  'Following the alleged incident, we have enhanced our response to the Sunshine area to provide a dedicated and highly visible presence,' Acting Commander Troy Papworth said.  The shop where shopkeeper Van Viet Truong worked alongside his wife and mother-in-law A sign on the door stated what everyone in Sunshine knew all too well  The accused allegedly robbed this clothes store before Van Viet Truong bravely intervened  'Police will be there to provide support and ongoing reassurance as long as it’s needed.' Commander Papworth acknowledged on Wednesday that the attack 'no doubt had a ripple effect through the entire community and has caused angst and concern in Melbourne's west'. 'Police feel these concerns as well – we are as much a part of the community ourselves,' he said.  They will come as hollow words to those who work along the strip in largely family-operated businesses.  Many along the strip were comfortable talking to Daily Mail, but reluctant to provide their names.  One local, who acted as a makeshift translator for the Daily Mail and whose daughter was a lawyer, said he had seen the area fall into decline.  'Nothing is being done. Everyone is afraid,' he said. 'He had been here for 20 years or more. We know him. They are always there.' An elderly shopkeeper revealed in Vietnamese how he had known Mr Truong for many years.  Shopkeepers and locals say Sunshine has been abandoned by police  Parts of the alleged attack had been caught on CCTV cameras   Van Viet Truong was taken to hospital but is not expected to live  'He was a brave man,' he said through the interpreter.  'They [allegedly] pinched clothes from the shop and he came out to stop them - and they [allegedly] attacked him.' CCTV footage of the moments after the alleged robbery showed the retail worker giving chase before a scuffle broke out. Mr Truong appeared to push one of the teens before he was allegedly struck in the head.  Police say the three boys and two girls from Brimbank and Banyule areas of Melbourne left him with injuries so serious he will likely die. It is alleged Mr Truong was struck in the head a number of times before his head hit the ground when he fell. Another elderly man told the Daily Mail the police were close to having blood on their hands over the death of Mr Truong.  In addition to random street crime, the man claimed darker characters now preyed upon the Sunshine traders.   The shopping strip where the alleged attack occurred  'They are collecting protection money and I have first hand experience with that,' he said.  'But when I filed a report with the police nothing happened and this is just a result of neglecting small things. Small things become big things.' The man claimed he had called police while witnessing an assault, but was turned away.  'The police said they won't come. The victim had to go to the police station,' he said.  Like others, he described Mr Truong as a 'hardworking man' who worked hard for his family-operated businesses.  He claimed police abandoned the area about two years ago.  'About three or four years ago ... the police were active, but after that, about two years ago, the police don't bother to come,' he said.  'If they threaten to kill you and you call the police they say, "No-one has killed anyone yet, why did you call us".  Even the nicer parts of the bustling area show the signs of street crime and disrepair 'They have actually told me to "...only call the police when someone is bleeding or some property is damaged".' The man suspects there is a dark plan to lower the value of property prices in the area to drive out the traders before turning Sunshine into a wealthy, hipster enclave.  'They're trying to run down this area to buy back at lower prices. You cannot dismiss those things,' he said.  It was a notion shared by others in the area after years of watching Sunshine sink into the sewer.  Commander Papworth claimed police were patrolling the entire western suburbs community 24/7, including Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Wyndham, Brimbank and Melton areas. 'Police have strong ongoing relationships with councils and support services across Melbourne's west to address key issues including amenity, homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction and mental health,' he stated.  'While some local police stations have reduced public counter hours, officers continue to work and deploy from each station around the clock. 'Put simply, our focus is on more street than station. Several of the teen accused are expected to face court again later this week to try for bail 'Frontline patrols in the community have remained completely unimpacted, and have actually been enhanced by these public counter revisions. 'Bolstering our patrols in the community allows our highly trained officers to be in the community preventing crime and quickly arresting dangerous offenders, not being stuck behind public counters during times rarely visited. 'We continue to look at utilising public servants to fulfill administrative duties, ensuring our highly skilled officers can be out in the community where they are needed most.' The alleged attack came days after newly appointed Victorian Premier Ben Carroll unveiled new retail worker protection laws. The laws will grant courts the power to restrict access to workplaces for people who assault, intimidate or stalk workers. Carroll called for the teenagers to be tried as adults for their alleged crimes. But Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accused Carroll of voting against a Liberal workplace protection bill that would have taken immediate effect, instead favouring an equivalent Labor bill. 'Labor's scheme won't come into effect until the middle of next year,' she said. 'Ben Carroll and Labor are not serious about cleaning up the crime crisis in this state.' What will it take for communities to feel truly protected and safe from rising youth crime? What's your view?In a children's court on Sunday, the mother of the 12-year-old boy accused of attacking Mr Truong made a plea for her son to be granted bail. Through tears, she expressed concern for his mental health and physical safety but was unsuccessful. Magistrate Robyn Hamilton said the boy’s alleged actions had 'resulted in the worst possible outcome'. Several of the teens are expected to face the court again later this week to have their bail examined. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.