CCTV emerges after six injured in Melbourne stabbing rampage, hospitalising four people
The footage shows the moment a pedestrian is stabbed on a busy CBD street, after four people were hospitalised in a spate of random attacks.
CCTV footage has emerged of the moment a pedestrian is allegedly stabbed on a busy Melbourne street, with police arresting a man for going on an alleged random stabbing spree in the city’s CBD.
The footage supplied by Yankee Burger Bar, shows a man in a light green jacket, running up Melbourne’s King St, where he is seen plunging a knife into the leg of a male pedestrian wearing a black tshirt.
The video appears to show the first of four random stabbings, which occurred outside the burger shop.
The man in the green jacket then runs up the street, leaving the injured man screaming and dripping blood onto the pavement.
Nearby pedestrians then go up to the injured man and ask him if “he’s okay,” before calling emergency services and walking into the burger bar for help. He was later taken to hospital with a non-life-threatening leg injury.
Co-owner of the King St’s Yankees Burger Bar Margi Patel said staff at the restaurant provided towels, water and napkins to the injured man, as several bystanders rushed to his aid.
One customer, a German tourist visiting Australia, even stripped off his belt, so a pedestrian could help form a torniquete, and slow the bleeding, Ms Patel said.
Staff also helped redirect traffic away from the bloodied sidewalk, to help preserve the crime scene.
On Sunday, police arrested and charged a 31-year-old man, with 14 assault related charges and one count of possessing a control weapon.
The charges include two counts of intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, five counts of intentionally causing injury and five counts of recklessly causing injury.
The man, currently in remand, will appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Police will allege he stabbed a 24-year-old man outside the burger shop, before assaulting four more people.
A woman in her 30s was left in a critical condition after being stabbed multiple times, while three people were left with serious injuries following a spate of “random” attacks over three hours in the CBD and St Kilda.
Ms Patel said the stabbing had left her rattled, with the business only in its third week of operation on the busy street.
“I never imagined that could happen on a busy street. If you look at the footage there were so many people around when the stabbing happened,” she said.
“I never feel unsafe but after last night, my perspective changed a little bit.”
However, she hoped Saturday night’s events wouldn’t impact her business, and believed it was an isolated incident.
“Once the crime scene was cleared, the street returned back to normal and it was business as usual.”
How the ‘cowardly’ stabbings unfolding
Victoria Police Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Eyries said during the incident the alleged assailant likely used different types of knives in each separate attack.
Sgt Eyries said the 31-year-old Melton man had allegedly lunged at defenceless victims from behind in what police had labelled a series of “cowardly” attacks.
“These people were going about their own business, it is extremely concerning,” he said.
Police were first alerted to reports of a 24-year-old Melbourne man being stabbed outside a burger store on King Street at about 10pm.
It is believed the man used public transport to travel to the southeast of the city where he approached a couple in their 20s along Dandenong Road just before 11pm.
A 31-year-old St Kilda East woman was stabbed multiple times and was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.
The 31-year-old Waverly man accompanying her suffered a number of injuries, including a significant laceration to his arm.
In a third incident, a 31-year-old English man was stabbed on Acland Street in St Kilda about 12.30am on Sunday. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening leg injuries.
Comprehensive police resources were used to identify the alleged offender, who was wearing a distinctive lime green windcheater and dark coloured cargo pants.
Officers were able to track a suspect to Balaclava Station within minutes.
The man attempted to flee, fleeing on foot before capsicum spray was deployed.
Police believe the stabbings are unrelated and there are no links to terrorism, with Sgt Eyries adding he didn’t know what the motive behind the attacks was.
Police are also investigating a fourth attack that happened earlier on Saturday night in Southbank.
A 28-year-old Mount Waverley man was stabbed in the leg and torso while walking under the underpass on City Road at 9.20pm.
He was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Following an increase of edged weapon related crime in Melbourne, Sgt Eyries said the public should have “faith in the police”.
The use of everyday weapons that could be found in “any kitchen” and used during the attacks overnight was of concern to Victoria Police, as they look to stamp out violent crime.
Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives are looking to speak with witnesses.
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