SYDNEY - One man was hospitalized and two others were arrested after a fight that forced a Melbourne shopping center into lockdown on Sunday afternoon.

Police in the Australian state of Victoria said in a statement that emergency services were called to reports of a fight involving around 10 people, some of whom were armed with knives, shortly after 2:30 pm at the Northland Shopping Center, 10 kilometers northeast of central Melbourne.

One man, who Ambulance Victoria said was aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition with upper body injuries.

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Victoria Police said that two males who were arrested at the scene were being interviewed.

"The center was locked down as the incident took place and remains closed while police investigate," the police statement said.

"The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated but it is believed the incident was targeted and parties are believed to be known to each other."

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Footage captured by local television news crews showed a large police and ambulance presence responding to the incident.

Nine Entertainment newspapers reported that members of the public took shelter inside stores and that two other people were assessed at the scene by ambulance paramedics but were not taken to hospital.