Man and woman arrested over alleged stabbing of boy, 16, at Balmain

TWO people have been arrested over the alleged stabbing of 16-year-old boy outside a Sydney supermarket in Balmain, where he was shopping for groceries with his younger brother.

Police in the carpark of the Woolworths supermarket in Balmain after a boy was stabbed. Picture: AAP Image/Peter Rae

TWO people have been arrested over the alleged stabbing of a teenage boy outside a Sydney supermarket.

The 16-year-old was shopping for groceries with his younger brother, 14, at Woolworths in Balmain about 7pm on Thursday and as the siblings walked through the carpark, a man approached the 16-year-old and asked for a lighter.

When the teen replied he didn’t have one, the man allegedly stabbed him several times.

The knife pierced the victim’s liver, severed tendons and broke bones in his hand.

He was left lying on the road at the back of the supermarket while the man ran off down Palmer St with a woman.

Police looking under cars as they searched the Woolworths carpark where the boy, 16, was stabbed. Picture: AAP Image/Peter Rae

Leichardt Police Area Command Acting Superintendent Anthony Bell said the attack was “swift and unprovoked”.

“Obviously all involved parties including the families are traumatised by this event,” he said on Friday.

The teenager was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and underwent surgery on Friday.

His family was by his bedside today as his condition steadily improved.

Police made a breakthrough this afternoon, arresting a 29-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman in Foy St, Balmain, not far from where the attack happened.

The man has been taken to Newtown Police Station and the woman is at a police station in the city.