Sydney, Sep 25 (IANS): An Australian teenager has been charged over the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old in the Australian state of Victoria.

Victoria Police said on Wednesday that they had charged a 15-year-old boy with one count of murder after a 16-year-old was killed in a stabbing at a shopping centre in Melbourne's outer western suburbs on Tuesday.

Emergency services were called to the shopping centre in Melton West, about 38 km west of Melbourne's central business district, just before midday on Tuesday, where the 16-year-old was found with life-threatening injuries, Xinhua news agency reported.

First responders commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he died at the scene.

In a statement, Victoria Police said that investigators subsequently arrested and charged the local 15-year-old and that he would appear at a children's court at a later date.

The victim, Oscar Hamilton, is from the neighbouring suburb of Harkness.

"Today our world was shattered," his family said in a statement.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Victoria Police Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel L'Estrange said that it was likely the pair involved knew each other.

Tuesday was the second day of school holidays in Victoria.