One-punch attacks like the one that left a 15-year-old in hospital and another teenager facing assault charges happen all too often, a senior Victorian policeman says.
A 16-year-old has been charged after the assault at an out-of-control Melbourne party left a promising young soccer player in hospital.
Knox Superintendent Graeme Arthur said the incident was something he sees too frequently.
"It's tragic. It's a terrible set of circumstances and it happens all too often," Supt Arthur told reporters on Tuesday.
"The party itself was organised well but unfortunately a number of gatecrashers turned up and they were alcohol affected.
"The organisers and police were confronted with a fairly volatile situation."
Fifteen-year-old Jaiden was punched outside the registered Bayswater party that went out of control when 300 partygoers and gatecrashers clashed.
Supt Arthur praised the actions of police who attended the party on Saturday night, despite concerns raised about comments made by an officer that were broadcast on Fairfax Radio.
A police officer can be heard telling the crowd: "What do you want us to do? Walk through all that so that we get hit? No."
Supt Arthur said the comments were not appropriate and would be subject to a review, but also that they were made in the context of a volatile situation where the officer was put on the spot.
"He probably could have chosen better words," Supt Arthur said.
A South Melbourne teenager handed himself in to police on Tuesday and was charged with recklessly causing serious injury and other assault-related offences.
He was bailed and will face the Victorian children's court.
Jaiden's condition was upgraded from critical to serious by the Royal Children's Hospital on Tuesday.
The Carrum Downs teenager, whose family did not want his surname published, was placed in an induced coma with bleeding on the brain.
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