Victim of Sydney Uni stabbing a psychology scholar with a ‘brilliant mind’

Intern Melvern Kurniawan was walking to Sydney University’s Brain and Mind Centre on Tuesday morning. He instead wound up in hospital, knifed in the neck at random.

The victim of a suspected terror stabbing at the University of Sydney is a psychology graduate with a ‘brilliant mind’, `who is researching disorders of the brain.

Melvern Kurniawan, 22, was walking to the university’s Brain and Mind Centre on Tuesday, where he has been completing an internship for the past five months, when police said he was knifed in the neck at random.

Witnesses ran to his aid, including a colleague, who used a piece of clothing to stem the bleeding from his wound until paramedics arrived and took him to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for treatment.

A 14-year-old boy dressed in a camouflage outfit and carrying a kitchen knife was arrested by police a short time later, and remains in custody undergoing a mental health assessment.

At his family’s home on Wednesday in the city’s Hills District, Mr Kurniawan’s mother, Desy, said he was recovering well from the terrifying ordeal.

Sydney University stabbing victim Melvern Kurniawan, 22 (left) with his family, mum Desy, dad (name unknown) and sister Desy (in green).

“He is doing fine, really fine,” Mrs Kurniawan said. “He doesn’t want to talk about it for now, just recover first”.

Doctors allowed Mr Kurniawan to go home on Tuesday night, but he will require ongoing treatment for his injury which police said “could have been fatal”.

Sydney University stabbing victim Melvern Kurniawan, 22, who graduated from Castle Hill High School with an almost perfect HSC score, and his mum Desy.

A group of friends visited the home, with one telling The Daily Telegraph that Mr Kurniawan has a “brilliant mind”.

“He’s the smartest guy we know … he’s got like a brilliant mind. It’s awful this happened,” the friend said.

Mr Kurniawan’s LinkedIn profile reveals he studied a Bachelor of Psychology with honours and majored in neuroscience at the University of Sydney, graduating last year.

He is now a research assistant in the Brain and Mind Centre, and is completing a thesis.

Items of clothing on the footpath linked to a suspected stabbing on the grounds of Sydney University at Camperdown. Picture: Richard Dobson

“I hope to use my experience and knowledge of the relationship between the brain, behaviour, and psychology to assist people across diverse settings,” Mr Kurniawan wrote.

“Currently, I am undertaking research in the field of dementia, cognition, and sleep at the Healthy Brain Ageing Clinic at the University of Sydney.“

Mr Kurniawan graduated from Castle Hill High School in 2019, where he scored an ATAR of 99.40, according to his Linked in profile.

NSW Police detectives from the State Crime Command Counter Terrorism Unit returned to RPA Hospital on Wednesday where the boy who allegedly carried out the attack is being treated.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton said it had not been declared a terrorist attack due to the fact a motive or ideology “had not been determined at this stage”, and was “mixed and unclear”.

Police said they had established the boy was acting alone and not part of a larger network.

The boy has previously undertaken Government programs which involve deradicalisation measures after he was charged last year when he threatened to carry out a “Christchurch-style” terror attack.

CCTV showed the boy walking along Parramatta Rd and into the grounds of the university, just before 8.30am, then walking out a short time later clutching his hand which was injured during the attack.

He was dressed in a full camouflage outfit and boots, with a matching hat, and was carrying a backpack.

Police said the boy caught a bus to hospital, where he is understood to have told staff he had stabbed someone.

Originally published as Victim of Sydney Uni stabbing a psychology scholar with a ‘brilliant mind’