Mass stabbing horror at wild Melbourne CBD party

The number of people injured in a stabbing frenzy at a wild party in Melbourne has jumped again — but the victims are frustrating police.

Police have called for calm after nine people were allegedly stabbed at a “chaotic” party in a short-term CBD rental early Monday morning.

One of the victims, a 19-year-old Dandenong North man, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition with serious upper-body injuries.

Gangs crime squad detectives are investigating and police fear “reprisal” attacks are possible.

The injured teenager flagged down police just after 2am at Southern Cross station, a few hundred metres from the apartment, where he’d attended a party of “upwards of 50” people.

Police believe a fight broke out at the party at 200 Spencer Street and spilt out into the elevator and foyer, which were also declared crime scenes.

Police at the apartment building on Spencer St. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

They suspect there were multiple alleged attackers and they knew their victims.

Eight more male victims, including two 17-year-olds of Truganina and one of South Melbourne, were linked to the fight after they went to various Melbourne hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries.

Police are yet to make an arrest or find any weapons and believe the offenders had already fled when they arrived at the party.

Commander Darren Franks said while most people were still in the apartment, he could not guarantee police spoke to everyone amid the “chaotic” scene and some victims had “not been co-operative”. “So we’re struggling to find out the how and why,” he said.

Police are investigating an incident where several people were stabbed at a short-term rental property Picture: Paul Jeffers

Mr Franks urged any witnesses to contact police and said attendees were “young people of African appearance”. He said it “wasn’t overstating the situation” to say police were worried about retaliation.

“Emotions and … tempers ran high after events like this so one of our biggest concerns is any sort of reprisal behaviour,” he said.

“Any sort of knife crime is extremely concerning.”

Police at an apartment building on Spencer Street. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Police outside the building. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

A forensic officer takes evidence. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Police at the scene. Picture: Paul Jeffers

Police at the scene. Picture: Paul Jeffers

The gang unit was investigating but Mr Franks said there was no “clear conclusion” of any links.

“There are indications that require the state’s gangs crime squad to be involved,” he said.

The Dandenong North teenager was in a stable condition on Monday.

Originally published as Mass stabbing horror at wild Melbourne CBD party