A father-of-two is fighting for his life after being stabbed while allegedly trying to stop three teenagers breaking into a car in south-east Melbourne.
Colin Sheean, 41, was riding his scooter home when he saw the group on Govan Street in Langwarrin at about 12.20am on Saturday.
Police allege the teenagers were breaking into a vehicle when Mr Sheean intervened. He was stabbed twice and taken to The Alfred in a critical condition, where he remained in an induced coma on Sunday.
Two 16-year-old boys and a 17-year-old were arrested and charged with intentionally causing serious injury, among other offences. They were due to appear in court on Sunday.
A neighbour described hearing a warning that one of the teenagers had a knife before returning inside to fetch a hockey stick.
“As he was stabbed, I hit one of the kids, f***ed his kneecap and sort of let them run off,” the neighbour said.
The neighbour said they had initially seen one wound in Mr Sheean’s back, but then realised he had also been stabbed in the chest and that the injury had reached his lung.
“I was more worried about Colin dying,” they said, adding that the knife was allegedly left in Mr Sheean as the teenagers fled.
A fundraising appeal has been launched to support Mr Sheean’s family while he recovers. He runs his own business and is expected to be unable to work for a considerable period, with medical expenses also expected to place pressure on the family.
Mr Sheean has two daughters, aged 14 and 11. The appeal said their mother, Natalie, died from a sudden and unexpected cardiac arrest five years ago.
“Now he is in the fight of his life and has a long journey of recovery ahead of him,” the appeal said.
It described Mr Sheean as someone who would “do anything for anyone” and said his daughters had already endured significant loss.
