Man arrested for Southbank stabbing
Police have arrested a 21-year-old man in Greensborough for the alleged stabbing of a good Samaritan who was hurt while trying to protect a woman from an armed attacker in Melbourne’s CBD on Friday night.
The stabbing occurred in Southbank’s Yarra Promenade near Crown Casino.
The 24-year-old victim Luigi Spina, had just finished work at Crown Casino restaurant Gradi,shortly before midnight.
He came to the aid of a woman being attacked on the promenade and sustained non-life threatening abdominal injuries when the offender retaliated. A nearby late-night parking attendant came to his assistance.
The offender was arrested on Grimshaw Street in Greensborough about 2.45pm Monday.
Detectives say the attacker fled down Yarra Promenade shortly before midnight
His female victim also fled the scene.
As part of their investigations, police are now urging the woman to come forward to provide them with more information about the assault.
Police also believe the offender had been working up to the assault. They say that before the stabbing, he had been approaching people walking along the promenade, trying to start a fight.
Police apprehended him when his Commodore drove into the intersection of William and Grimshaw streets in Greensborough, and collided with a Mercedes van being driven by a member of the public.
Police arrived on the scene and arrested him.
"He was on the ground, with police surrounding him, thrashing about a little bit," witness to the arrest, Tegan Mutmer, told Nine News.
"There would have been close to 15 police cars, if not more."
Two other men were also arrested but a police spokesman has told the media that the two were not "believed to have been involved in the stabbing".
Police are continuing to interview the three.
Mr Spina, an Italian national, is now recovering at the Alfred Hospital and is reported to be in a stable condition.
by Leon Gettler, February 28th 2017
