Cops swarm site of deadly stabbing at suburban train station

A man was stabbed to death at a Melbourne train station overnight, with police struggling to explain a motive for the attack.

An exchange of words at a train station has led to a 40-year-old man being stabbed to death overnight.

The incident occurred in the suburb of Melton in Melbourne’s west at around 2.30am on Wednesday.

Police say the victim had a verbal interaction with another man while walking through the Melton train station.

The victim spoke with his attacker shortly before being fatally stabbed. Picture: Ian Currie

“We have four to five males in that area that I’ll call the taxi rank on the south side of the train station,” said Detective Inspector Dean Thomas from Victoria Police homicide squad.

“We believe that one of those males has walked off and interacted with our victim as he’s walked past and has followed him further along.”

The unknown assailant then stabbed the victim in the upper body.

The victim sought help from a nearby residence but died before paramedics could arrive. Picture: Ian Currie

The victim was able to run outside onto Staughton St where he sought assistance from a nearby home and called emergency services.

However, he succumbed to his wounds and died at the scene before paramedics arrived.

The victim was known to police; however, it is not known if he knew his attacker.

“It’s a violent attack … we’re still trying to work out the motive behind it. Whether or not there is a link between our victim and these persons,” Inspector Thomas said.

“We’re always concerned when we see this sort of violence displayed out there in a public place for what appears to be at this point no apparent reason.”

Police shut down the train station and surrounding area as they pieced together the deadly attack. Picture: Ian Currie

After the attack, the group of men left the train station, travelling through the underpass and leaving on foot in a northerly direction.

Police are appealing for witnesses that were in the area of Melton South at the time of the stabbing

They have described the group of four to five males, including the attacker, as being of African appearance.

“We’re doing an extensive canvas at the moment for CCTV footage and obviously speaking to a range of different people in the area,” Inspector Thomas said.

“At this point in time it appears to be an isolated incident and we’re just trying to piece it all together at this point.”

SES joined the search for evidence near the crime scene on Wednesday. Picture: Ian Currie