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

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

3AW host Jacqui Felgate condemned the attack during her radio show on Monday. 

‘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.’

Tributes are already flowing for Mr Truong, who had been belovedly known as ‘Jimmy’ and ‘Lenny’ among the Australians who dealt with him at the local markets. 

‘Such a tragedy, he’s a very good person and a very loyal customer, we called him Lenny the turkey and he always had time for a joke, he never took things seriously and always walked in with a huge smile,’ one market worker posted online. 

‘Still in shock what happened to him. I have even more respect for him knowing he risked (his) own life to stop thugs stealing from his neighbour, shows you the person he is and what he stood for.’

Four of the teens were arrested on Saturday and a fifth — a 12-year-old boy — was arrested on Saturday night at his home address.

The accused allegedly robbed this clothes store before Van Viet Truong bravely intervened

Sunshine locals stop by the now closed shop where ‘Jimmy’ worked for decades 

He appeared before a children’s court on Sunday where a magistrate revealed the extent of the retail worker’s injuries.

CCTV footage of the moments after the alleged robbery of the clothes shop showed the retail worker giving chase before a scuffle broke out.

Mr Truong appeared to push one of the children before he was struck in the head.

What happened next occured out of the view of cameras.

The shopkeeper was left with significant head injuries after he was allegedly struck in the head a number of times and hit his head on the ground.

Magistrate Robyn Hamilton foreshadowed the good Samaritan’s death, saying he had been ‘left in an unsurvivable situation and it’s inevitable the charges of affray and intentionally causing serious injury will be upgraded’.

‘Within days or hours, that victim will die, that was the grim message from a magistrate at a children’s court,’ she said.

The mother of the 12-year-old boy made a plea for her son to be granted bail on Sunday. Through tears, she expressed concern for his mental health and physical safety but was unsuccessful.

Mr Truong’s shop has been closed for the foreseeable future 

On Wednesday, shocked locals had already feared Mr Truong had already died, with confusion and fear sweeping across the bustling strip. 

Many along the strip were comfortable talking to Daily Mail, but reluctant to provide their names. 

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.

Mr Truong 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.

A sign outside Hong Hung Asian grocers on Wednesday 

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.

Not if he could help it.

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.

On Thursday, angry Victorians again lashed out at Victoria’s revolving door justice system. 

‘Stop calling them children…Children play with toy cars or dress up their dolls , live by the sword die by the sword,’ one market worker stated. 

‘Lock them up for 20 years and their parents for 5 years for not keeping their pets on a leash.’

Traders claimed police finally came out after the weekend attack, but only to ‘put on a show for the cameras’.

Van Viet Truong is taken off to hospital after the alleged attack 

‘We saw them walking three across,’ one man told Daily Mail.

Victoria Police disputed 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.

‘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.

The alleged attack came just days after the Premier 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.

The sickening attack had been captured in part on CCTV 

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.’