Melbourne hero who tried to stop robbery dies after brutal bashing by children as young as 12

By WAYNE FLOWER, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 00:13, 6 August 2026 | Updated: 00:28, 6 August 2026 A Good Samaritan who stepped in to help a shopkeeper during an attempted robbery in Melbourne's west has died after he was allegedly beaten by a gang of children as young as 12.  Grocery shop owner Van Viet Truong, 60, was trying to stop a group of youths from allegedly robbing a clothing store two doors away in Sunshine on Sunday when he was allegedly attacked by the group, aged between 12 and 15. Police previously described his head injuries as 'unsurvivable'. He died on Thursday morning. All five youths have been charged with affray, violent disorder, intentionally causing injury and intentionally causing serious injury. Victoria Police said detectives would consider upgrading the charges following Mr Truong's death.  The 12-year-old boy's mother broke down in tears as she pleaded for him to be granted bail on Sunday, citing concerns about his mental health and physical safety. The court refused the application.  Victoria's new Premier Ben Carroll labelled the alleged attack on the 60-year-old 'completely unacceptable'.  'This is terrible what occurred to this gentleman, there's no tolerance for this sort of behaviour. It's awful … it's completely unacceptable,' Carroll said.  Van Viet Truong, who was working nearby at a grocer, was allegedly set upon by the group Mr Truong had attempted to help a fellow shopkeeper in Sunshine as a group of youths allegedly tried to steal from a store 3AW host Jacqui Felgate condemned the attack during her radio show on Monday.  Three boys aged 12, 13 and 15, and two 14-year-old girls were charged on Sunday in Melbourne with a series of assault-related offences 'We have allowed children to think that this is OK. That actions don't have consequences and that if you commit a crime you don't go to jail,' she said. 'And this happened because the government reacted many years ago to a death in custody and weakened bail laws. It should never have happened but this is the unintended consequences. 'For years, youth offenders and children don't go to jail. They get bail and they know it. For (the government) to say we have the toughest bail laws in the country, these children ... they laugh at police.'