A violent altercation between two groups of men escalated into a daylight stabbing in South Melbourne on Thursday, leaving two individuals with serious injuries and sparking a police manhunt for three fleeing suspects. The incident occurred shortly before 11:30 AM local time at the intersection of Clarendon and Bank Streets, transforming a public thoroughfare into an active crime scene.
Victoria Police confirmed that responding officers discovered two victims suffering from wounds consistent with a stabbing. Emergency medical services promptly transported both men to a nearby hospital, where they are being treated for their serious, yet non-life-threatening, injuries. Preliminary investigations indicate that all parties involved were acquainted with one another, suggesting the conflict was not a random act of violence.
Authorities have established a perimeter as forensic specialists and detectives work to piece together the sequence of events that led to the brawl and subsequent stabbing. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement actively appealing to the public for assistance. They are urging any witnesses, or individuals who may have captured dashcam or mobile phone footage of the incident, to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers anonymously to aid in identifying and locating the three men who fled prior to the arrival of police.