A man has died and another has been taken to hospital after a suspected stabbing in Melbourne’s central business district.
Police were called to a restaurant on Frederick Way, near Queen Victoria Market, shortly after 8pm on Friday, where they found a man with stab wounds. CPR was performed, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim was a registered HungryPanda food delivery rider. A second man, aged in his 30s, was found nearby a short time later with a suspected stab wound and taken to hospital.
Officers established two crime scenes about 100 metres apart and closed major roads in the north-west corner of the city. Police are investigating whether the incident was targeted.
Unverified accounts circulating on Chinese social media alleged that a delivery rider had confronted a man after his e-bike was pushed over outside the restaurant. Police have not confirmed those claims.
Footage circulating on WeChat showed a man wearing a bicycle helmet and high-visibility vest slumped against a wall inside a restaurant, being assisted by a woman. A trail of blood could be seen on the floor.
HungryPanda said it was “deeply saddened” by the incident and that it had established a dedicated response team to contact the rider’s family and offer support.
“The safety and wellbeing of every delivery rider remain among our highest priorities,” the company said. It added that guidance and support were being provided to its rider community.
