Natan Mwanza was a “gentle giant” with big dreams. His career as a fashion model was flourishing, and he had plans to move to the UK and visit family in Canada.
But Mwanza’s life was cut short on Wednesday night when he was stabbed to death by two men in Wyndham Vale, in Melbourne’s outer west, after an altercation on a bus.
Model Natan Mwanza was stabbed to death on Wednesday night.Credit: TikTok
His sister, Naomi Mwanza, believes the 23-year-old – who has been described by loved ones as a funny and gentle man – had taken the bus to go on his daily run. Mwanza often caught public transport to Wyndham Vale and ran back to his home in Werribee.
“Never made it home,” Naomi said. “They’ve broken us, they’ve taken a piece of us.”
Police said Mwanza was sitting on the bus when two young men approached him and a fight broke out at the back. The fight spilled out onto a nature strip, where Mwanza, who was not known to police, was stabbed just before 8pm.
A passerby called triple zero but paramedics were unable to save him.
A Nike Air Max advertisement featuring Natan Mwanza.
Police said two offenders fled along Vaughan Chase before officers arrived.
Homicide detectives are investigating the attack, which occurred less than a kilometre from a reserve where Lino Atem, 24, was fatally stabbed last month after he and his friends were set upon by a group armed with knives.
Investigators are trying to determine the motive behind the latest attack. Officers were at the scene on Thursday looking for the weapon used. It is not yet clear whether Mwanza knew the two assailants.
“The victim was not known to police at all. He was on the bus, minding his own business,” Detective Inspector Dean Thomas, head of the homicide squad, said.
Mwanza’s father, Samuel, and sister Naomi.Credit: Nine
“These two have boarded the bus and sat down just in front and engaged in conversation. What that conversation was, we don’t know.”
On Thursday morning, Mwanza’s family made a desperate plea for the violence to stop. They said he wasn’t a troublemaker and would never have hurt a fly.
“This has to stop. Whatever has to be done, this has to stop,” his uncle Tresor Mugunyi said. “There has to be some sort of accountability, some sort of repercussion for these kinds of things. He was just a gentle giant.
“We left our countries to come here because this is a safe place. Not to have to deal with this kind of thing.”
Mwanza’s father, Samuel Mwanza, who last saw his son on Wednesday afternoon, said his children had never had any problems with anybody.
“Why they killed my son? Why? For what? Everything has a solution. We can talk and then we can get a solution. Why they killed my son for nothing?” he said.
Natan Mwanza’s family say the 23-year-old wasn’t a troublemaker and wouldn’t hurt a fly.Credit: Instagram
“Stop killing people for nothing.”
Friends and relatives paying tribute to Mwanza online described him as “the sweetest and most humble kid” and said his attackers had robbed him of his dreams.
“Had a whole life ahead of you doing what you love,” read an online tribute, accompanied by a video of Mwanza modelling for sports brand Champion in 2021.
A separate post accompanied by a link to information about Mwanza’s death read: “Evil will never win, the flesh dies but the spirit lives.”
Images shared by Mwanza on his Instagram account show him modelling for sneaker stores and Nike.
On TikTok, he posted videos of his outfits, his grillz (decorative tooth covers made of precious metals and jewels), and behind-the-scenes moments at photoshoots.
The family had been planning to have dinner together on Friday to celebrate the arrival of cousins visiting from Perth.
“You sometimes see it on the news, or you hear about it, you never thought it’d come close to home,” Mugunyi said.
“That’s just senseless killing. I don’t know how these kids … just wake up in the morning and really think about what we want to do to someone today.
“This kid [Mwanza] was as gentle as a human being can be. There was not a bone in his body that had a problem.”
Police at the scene of the stabbing in Wyndham Vale.Credit: Nine news
Police described the attackers as two men of Asian appearance in their late teens or early 20s, both wearing caps. One wore a white T-shirt, dark-coloured jeans and sneakers, the second wore a dark puffer jacket.
Investigators are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has footage of the area at the time of the attack to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.