Teen stabbed to death ‘defending girlfriend’ at Ropes Crossing

A teenager who died on the front lawn of a home after being stabbed at a western Sydney party got into a scuffle over a girl, police allege.

Evidence bags at the scene of a fatal stabbing last night in the Sydney suburb of Ropes Crossing. Picture: Julian Andrews.

Police say the stabbing death of a Western Sydney teenager was not gang-related, and instead sparked by a fight over a girl.

The 16-year-old boy died from a single stab wound on the front lawn of home on Australis Drive in Ropes Crossing in the early hours of Saturday morning, after an argument turned violent.

Police say the teen and his attackers attended the home for a “gathering” before a disagreement over a girl who was also at the home spilled out onto the front lawn of the house.

One of the teens then pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim, before fleeing the area.

“Look they are young boys, probably with some hormones running through the system, and somebody thought they had to defend the right of their girlfriend at the scene,” Detective Chief Inspector Paul Tickner said.

Police found a knife nearby the scene of the stabbing. Picture: Julian Andrews.

Evidence bags at the scene. Picture: Julian Andrews.

“And unfortunately, it led to a young boy being killed… he had his whole life ahead of him.”

The gathering was attended by about eight or nine people and the victim only met the suspected offenders on the night, Det Insp Tickner said.

A pool of blood on the road at the scene. Picture: Julian Andrews

Forensic officers bag a pair of trainers at the scene. Picture: Julian Andrews

On Saturday morning investigators found a kitchen knife in a nearby drain, and seized it for forensic examination, while police divers searched a nearby creek for evidence.

“I can’t say that it’s (the knife) involved in this, it could have been there for a while,” Det Insp Tickner said.

“But certainly we’ll examine it and see whether it’s linked to the crime scene.”

Det Insp Tickner urged the teens responsible for the boy’s death to come forward to police, saying it was “just a matter of time before we’re knocking on your door.

Police at the scene. Picture: Julian Andrews

Friends of the boy said he was “such a good kid” and that his family were “shattered” over his death.

Members of the local community said they were concerned about the growing rate of knife violence in the area, with the region’s Youth Against Violence group condemning the actions of those responsible for the death.

“We’ve seen this problem escalate to a stage where we feel like it’s becoming uncontrollable,” founder of the group Ouwais Menzel said.

“If your peers’ have a knife or are speaking about possessing a knife, please tell those friends that possessing a knife is not the answer… the only reason somebody would possess a knife is to inflict harm on another person.”