Four people rushed to hospital, man charged after alleged stabbing in Melbourne's inner suburbs

A man has been charged with dozens of offences after four people were injured in an alleged stabbing in Melbourne's inner north-west.

The 36-year-old is due to face court on Thursday after what police claim was a random attack on strangers, unrelated to terrorism.

Carla Bertolini was confronted with the scene when she heard something outside her work on Wednesday afternoon.

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The 19-year-old pharmacy assistant quickly helped guide two people to safety, after they were allegedly attacked on busy Puckle Street in Moonee Ponds about 1.15pm.

Witnesses told 9News the man was allegedly attempting to steal from the Amazing Bargains shop before the incident.

Police were called after multiple calls to triple zero about an "agitated man" who allegedly assaulted several people.

"I saw the owner of the shop and she had a frozen bag of peas on her neck," Bertolini said.

"I asked if (she was) okay and she said 'the man had stabbed me'."

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The Broadmeadows man was arrested near the Moonee Ponds train station and later charged with 29 offences including intentionally cause injury, recklessly cause injury, common law assault, assault with a weapon and armed robbery.

Two men and two were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The women in their 50s and 60s were treated for upper body injuries, a man in his 80s was treated for minor injuries and a man in his 30s had upper body pain.

They were all in a stable condition.

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Local MP Bill Shorten took to social media to express his thoughts for his "local community".

"I am shocked and saddened about the terrible attack in Moonee Ponds today," he said.

"Moonee Ponds is such a wonderful part of our community and Puckle Street is its safe heart."

Police said they believed the alleged incident was "random in nature" and not terror related.

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