Girlfriend ‘traumatised’ after witnessing Oscar Hamilton allegedly stabbed to death at Woodgrove Shopping Centre
The girlfriend of 16-year-old Oscar Hamilton, who was allegedly stabbed to death at Woodgrove Shopping Centre, has spoken of the trauma of witnessing the event.
Police & Courts
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The girlfriend of slain teen Oscar Hamilton has spoken of the heartbreaking moment she had to tell his parents their son had died.
The young woman was witness to the vicious stabbing of Oscar at Woodgrove Shopping Centre on Tuesday afternoon, where she watched her boyfriend suffer fatal injuries and a passer-by attempt CPR on him.
“Having to make the phone call to his parents was the worst thing I’ve ever had to do,” she said.
“Just hearing how distraught his mum was when I told her, it just sucked.
“Seeing her when she got to the scene, it just absolutely sucked.”
She said she was “pretty traumatised” having witnessed the alleged murder.
“I just wouldn’t wish this on anybody, not even my worst enemy, because it was so horrific to watch,” she said.
“How quickly it happened as well – nobody could have stopped anything.
“He was gone before anybody could do anything.”
She said a physical scuffle had escalated rapidly, with the 15-year-old alleged killer stabbing Oscar four times in under five seconds.
The young couple had been going out for only two months before Tuesday’s horrific events.
“He just brightened up everyone’s day,” she said.
“No matter how they were feeling Oscar would always aim to cheer them up.
“He is and was so loved by everybody around him.”
A large number of flowers had been placed in tribute to Oscar outside La Porchetta at Woodgrove shopping centre, where the teenager died.
“Rest easy Oscar, gone too soon, never forgotten,” one card read.
“Fly free beautiful boy.”
An Allan government minister played down concerns about Victoria’s youth crime crisis, boasting that the state’s crime rate is “reasonably good”.
Steve Dimopoulos on Wednesday said the government was “alive” to community fears about rampaging crime but claimed Victoria has a “low youth crime rate”.
The comments come in the wake of the tragic stabbing death of 16-year-old Oscar Hamilton at Woodgrove Shopping Centre on Tuesday night.
“There’s be nothing more tragic for that family and our thoughts are with the family,” Mr Dimopoulos said about the death.
“This is now clearly a matter for police. I don’t want to comment specifically on this case but we’re alive to those matters (youth crime concerns).
“That’s why we’ve made those changes to the youth justice system.”
The Allan government in August introduced legislation to parliament that seek to make it tougher for violent offenders to be released back into the community.
Repeat offenders are also set to face tougher fights for freedom as part of a new offence of committing serious crimes – including aggravated burglary, carjacking, murder and rape – while on bail.
On Wednesday, Mr Dimopoulos said the Allan government had boosted investment in Victoria Police.
“We have a low youth crime rate because of the investments we make,” he said.
“We have increased police resources, factually, more than any other government in Victoria’s history.
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