Man who delivered one-punch blow allegedly stabbed moments before in random St Kilda violence

An innocent tourist who was randomly punched in the jaw says his perception of Melbourne has changed dramatically after only two weeks in the country.

A tourist who had only been in Australia for two weeks before he allegedly suffered a random one-punch blow to the jaw says he is now scared to walk around St Kilda.

Dylan Smit, 21, had been in Melbourne for less than a fortnight before a crazed man ran at him and his group of friends before allegedly punching him in the face in an attack caught on CCTV.

Confronting footage shows Mr Smit, his girlfriend and two other friends walking past a restaurant on Fitzroy St before a shirtless man runs at them and strikes his victim in the face.

Mr Smit, who appeared physically uninjured in the video, began walking away before his alleged attacker followed him and his three friends.

The alleged offender, wearing black pants, a cap and a mask around his neck, was then seen running at his victims as he escaped the security camera’s view.

Mr Smit, who was walking back to his hostel from 7/11, said the man suddenly changed direction and lunged at him as he ran past.

A man has been arrested following a daylight alleged assault in St Kilda. Picture: Facebook,

Mr Smit, who is on a working holiday from the Netherlands, suffered a fractured jaw and claimed the man appeared to have been drug affected.

He said he is now extremely cautious of walking the streets of St Kilda.

“We saw a guy running toward us. He was going straight, not like toward us, then he just changed direction and punched me in the jaw,” he told the Herald Sun on Wednesday.

“He dislocated my jaw and my ear is still ringing.

“I’m all right, just a little bit hurt. It was completely random.”

Detectives say that the alleged offender was also stabbed and assaulted by a group following an altercation.

Mr Smit claimed the man had already been stabbed by the time he was struck in the head.

It appeared to be a completely random alleged attack in broad daylight outside several restaurants and bars.

Police have arrested and interviewed the man but no charges have yet been laid.

“Investigators have been told two men were punched to the face by another man as they walked along Fitzroy Street about 7.30pm,” a statement read.

“There was then an altercation between the group that resulted in the alleged offender being assaulted and allegedly stabbed.

“A 32-year-old man from St Kilda was arrested and interviewed in relation to the alleged stabbing.

“Police intend to interview a 29-year-old man from Bellfield in relation to the initial assault. The investigation is ongoing.”

Investigators have been told two men were punched to the face by another man as they walked along Fitzroy St. Picture: Facebook.

The daylight assault occurred outside popular restaurant Buba Local Shuk.

Owner Marc Allister said street violence was the new normal for his suburb.

He said the crime statistics for St Kilda were lower because victims were not bothering with reporting the offences.

“That stuff happens all the time,” he said.

“I’m not going to report my bike being stolen, I’m not going to report my van being broken into. No one reports anything, it’s a waste of time

“Who can be f--ked? No one can be.”

Fellow St Kilda residents have been extremely vocal with their concerns of escalating crime in the area in recent months.

Hundreds of locals marched through the streets last month demanding more police resources and a crackdown on drug use in the suburb.

It has also been the centre of several knife incidents and a handful of arson attacks in recent months.

In separate incidents, a 15-year-old boy remains before the courts accused of chasing a man and slashing him with a machete after the victim refused to hand over his keys and phone on January 12.

An elderly man was also left bleeding from the head after he was allegedly assaulted on a tram in that suburb late last month.

He is believed to have been struck in the head with a glass bottle that left “blood everywhere”.

Police have conducted several dedicated operations targeting unruly behaviour, drug dealing, shop theft and assaults.

Overall crime in St Kilda is at its lowest level since 2018.