Vicious murder gang hunted as two young boys killed and 'one's hand cut off'

Police have launched a search for a brutal murder gang allegedly responsible for the horror deaths of two boys.

A 12-year-old and a 15-year-old, Dau Akueng, were killed horrifically killed in a suspected gang attack with one of the victims sustaining "horrific mutilation injuries". It is believed one of the teen boys had his hand cut off during the tragic attack, on Saturday night. Police believe as many as eight masked men, through to be youth gang members wielding machetes and long edged weapons, were responsible for the horror deaths, near Melbourne, Australia.

Local police say the teens were found dead at two separate addresses just 200metres apart in the suburb of Cobblebank.

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The 12-year-old boy was stabbed to death and police say Dau suffered "mutilation" injuries and was also found dead. The families of the victims said the boys had been with a group of friends coming home from a local basketball stadium.

The horror deaths were initially believed to have been two separate targeted attacks but Victoria Police later said it had "the hallmarks of a youth gang crime". Det Insp Graham Banks said it was possible the groups knew each other but added that it could have also been a case of mistaken identity.

The Detective Inspector said the group of attackers covered their faces during and fled in a vehicle. Banks said: "I've seen the majority of the murders that have occurred in the youth gang space, and clearly this is a really bad example of that type of violence.

"It is one of the most horrific crimes in a substantial and growing list of crimes of this nature. The children who were murdered were not gang members and it is not OK to remain silent."

Daus heartbroken father, Elbino, said his son was killed while walking home from a basketball game, and said: "Similar incidents happening, there’s no answer from police."

A family friend who knew Dau through the basketball club, Aboil Alor, described the 15-year-old as a bright boy and said she wept after hearing the horror news about his death. Aboil said: "Dau, he deserved a happy life. He's a very good child, and I don't know how to explain him. I took him deeply into my heart."

She urged the police to work quickly to find out what happened to the two young boys, adding: "Please give us peace of mind for now, we need justice, especially for those children."

Banks said the police would "throw every resource" into this investigation He added: "We will be aiming to arrest these people in coming days. That’s our objective."

The Collingwood Basketball Association, where Dau was a player and referee, released a heartbreaking statement after his death. They said: "His passing is a profound loss not only to his team but to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him both on and off the court."