Alice Springs stabbing suspect Kaine Fisher faced court 11 times for serious offending

Kaine Fisher, 22, accused of stabbing a man in Alice Springs in broad daylight, has had multiple appearances before court.

A man has been flown to Adelaide hospital for treatment after being stabbed in the town centre of Alice Springs in a daylight attack in front of shocked onlookers. Picture: supplied/The Australian

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The man accused of repeatedly stabbing another man in front of shocked onlookers in what has been described as a “community dispute” in Alice Springs has faced court on almost a dozen occasions as an adult for serious offences including being armed in public and aggravated assault.

Police will allege Kaine Fisher, 22, was “armed with two steak knives” after allegedly stabbing a 27-year-old man in a daylight attack in front of shocked onlookers, including a family out for dinner with their 12-month-old child.

Mr Fisher was arrested by police about midnight on Thursday, and it is understood detectives have discovered three knives that were lodged in a yucca tree.

The victim was flown to Adelaide by the Royal Flying Doctor Service on Friday morning for treatment of punctured lungs and an arterial injury.

Police say they received reports of an altercation “between up to 20 people” on Gregory Terrace, Alice Springs, just past 5pm on Thursday, and are examining if there is a “close family link” between the victim and the accused, neither of whom is a primary residents of Alice Springs.

The Australian can reveal that in March 2023 Mr Fisher convicted of aggravated assault and escaping lawful custody, for which he was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond and eight-month wholly suspended jail sentence.

In November 2022 he pleaded guilty to breaching his bail where he was fined $650. In March 2023 he was sentenced to four weeks’ jail and a 12-month good behaviour bond for being armed in public. 

A man is fighting for life after being stabbed in the town centre of Alice Springs in a daylight attack in front of shocked onlookers. Picture: Supplied

The alleged attacker was within metres of a woman and her 12-month-old baby boy. Picture: Supplied

Footage of the incident taken before police and ambulance arrived on scene shows a 27-year-old man lying on the footpath as bystanders apply pressure to his wounds. Footage also shows the man police believe was behind the attack fighting with two other men, and allegedly attempting to stab one of them.

The victim was in “traumatic arrest”, with paramedics performing CPR on him on during the short trip to Alice Springs hospital.

A witness said the incident began at a bar, where some of the group had been kicked out.

The family who witnessed the attack said they were considering leaving the Alice “immediately”.

“I had nothing on me to defend my family, just Woolworths shopping bags,” the man said. “I could see the knives in his hand and then he’s put them in his pocket.

“How do you ring everyone up in your family to explain, if anything had happened to my 12-month-old? How would I explain that to our family?

“A lot of people would drive past that and go ‘Oh, another day in Alice’; when is enough enough? The action that has been taken hasn’t been enough. I haven’t seen (knife) wanding, the Banned Drinker Register has got to be implemented for establishments.”

The mother said such behaviour had “become normal … I’m bloody terrified, I want to leave Alice … I don’t want (my son) to have to remember stuff like this.”

Laws which gave police powers to “wand” people for knives and other weapons were legislated in July 2023 following the stabbing death of Declan Laverty. However, the Territory has continued to be rocked by recent stabbing events including the alleged murder of supermarket worker Linford Feick at the end of April.

Following Mr Feick’s death, the NT government passed what are claimed to be the toughest bail laws in the nation, after it was revealed the 18-year-old accused of his murder was first granted bail by an on-call judge in late 2023 for the alleged rape and aggravated assault of a 14-year-old girl.