A teenager visiting his family in Melbourne has been killed in a suspected vicious brawl, leaving his family devastated days before Christmas.

A South Sudanese journalist and broadcaster has warned of a “serious gang culture” in his community after the violent deaths of two teenagers.

In a powerful public statement, Ajak Deng Chiengkou, who worked as an executive producer for SBS’s Dinka radio station, said he had known Aguer Akech, a 17-year-old boy who was brutally bashed to death over the weekend, since he was a child.

The teenager was chased and allegedly attacked by a group wielding “sticks, fence posts and knives” outside Keilor Plains railway station in northwest Melbourne about 1.30am on Sunday, Victoria Police said.

He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.

Reacting to the news on Facebook, Chiengkou pointed to the fatal bashing and the death of 19-year-old Laa Chol, who was fatally stabbed in July last year, as “evidence of a serious gang culture in the community”.

He claimed that Aguer’s mother had been trying to remove her son from danger.

“For months, the mother has been trying to move him to Africa to stay away from the youths who have always threatened his life but nothing worked because of the system,” Chiengkou wrote on Facebook.

“We were once warned that this kid was in danger from some South Sudanese youths who once wanted to harm him. This is heartbreaking and the behaviours of the youths are getting out of hand.

“With the death of Aguer, Laa Chol and many other young lives that have allegedly been lost in the hands of fellow South Sudanese, I hope the community will agree that there is a serious gang culture now in the community.

“Still shocked, but I am getting tired of seeing such young lives being lost because of violence and the rest are being lost by suicide.”

Police in Victoria and the state’s Premier Andrew Daniels have repeatedly refused to say there’s an “African gang” problem in Melbourne – saying there is a small group of core offenders causing trouble.

And, Sudanese community leaders have said comments about “gangs” have led to racism and harassment against African Australians.

Victoria Police did not mention the word “gangs” in its statement about the brawl, which involved up to 30 young males and left 17-year-old Aguer dead on Sunday.

However, the teenager’s family says he was “ambushed” for “refusing to be a part of the bad boys”.

A relative, John Kon, told 9 News yesterday Aguer had a troubled past and had previously spent time in a juvenile detention facility, but had managed to turn his life around.

Aguer’s mother Martha Mayola said her son as a “very good boy” and that he was “not part of a gang”.

The brawl leading to the teen’s death is believed to have been sparked after a car was taken from a soccer tournament.

“This is a dispute between two groups who are known to each other that has escalated with tragic consequences,” Homicide Squad detective inspector Tim Day said on Monday.

A silver Holden Commodore sedan with the SA number plate, S111 AZI, was taken from a soccer tournament at Green Gully Reserve in Keilor Downs on Saturday evening.

An altercation took place at the reserve during the all-day tournament, police believe.

“This may well have been the catalyst,” Det Insp Day said.

At least 10 youths of African descent went to the Keilor Plains railway station about 11.30pm.

They then headed to a property on nearby Fox St where a verbal stoush occurred about 10 minutes before the fatal fight.

The group — including the victim — was chased back to the train station and the brawl broke out between the rivals involving between 20 to 30 people, the homicide squad detective said.

Weapons including steel rods, golf clubs fence railing were involved in the fight and at least one person had a knife.

“This type of activity … for 20 to 30 young males to be fighting in the street with weapons is of concern to us. It’s really important we solve this as quickly as possible,” he said.

Males in the second group left in three vehicles from the scene including the silver Holden. The two other vehicles have not been identified.

“We now have a family and a community in mourning and I have no doubt there are people who were involved in the dispute or have heard accounts, who are yet to speak to police and know what happened,” the inspector said.

Earlier this month, a teenager — who cannot be named because of his age — was jailed for 20 years for the murder of university student Ms Chol.

Ms Chol was stabbed in the chest during a scuffle outside a rental apartment inside a high-rise building in the Melbourne CBD.

Her killer will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 15 years behind bars.

— with AAP