Police have stepped up patrols across a Queensland community after a 70-year-old grandmother was allegedly stabbed to death over the weekend.
Vyleen White was killed in front of a young child at Town Square Redbank Plains shopping centre in Ipswich on Saturday.
A teenager has since been arrested, but three people remain on the run.
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Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding described the incident as one of the worst she had seen.
"What happened ... should not happen to anyone," she told Today.
"I've been the mayor here for four years and we've never seen (an incident) like this in our community.
"Redbank Plains is a very strong community and it's a family-oriented area which is the fastest growing city in Queensland.
"We have a lot of families coming here so it has really shocked us."
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Community members, including Karina Palmer, gathered last night at a vigil to remember the 70-year-old grandmother.
She said crime at the shopping centre was common, adding she had to resign from her job due to "ongoing serious safety concerns".
"My manager said I wasn't the first person to (resign), it's been ongoing for a long time," Palmer said.
"There are groups of young people that frequently steal and my concern was that they were becoming more brazen and regular and it would escalate.
"I feared it would be towards us as staff at the centre, but never did I imagine it would be a poor lady shopping on a Saturday afternoon."
Police have confirmed there would be increased patrols out and about this week.
"We are highly visible so that people can see that the police are there to protect them," Acting Superintendent Kylie Riggs said.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.
