Man, 31, charged as five seriously injured in random stabbing attacks in Melbourne
A man has been charged after five people who were "minding their own business" on the streets of Melbourne were allegedly randomly stabbed in four separate attacks.
A 31-year-old Melton man has been hit with more than a dozen charges over the stabbings, which happened across the city's CBD, St Kilda East and St Kilda over the space of three hours last night.
Police have said they do not know the motives for the attacks, but do not believe they were terror-related.
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CCTV caught the stabbings and aftermath on camera. Nine
The victims did "absolutely nothing" to encourage any of the attacks before they were "cowardly attacked", Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Eyries told media this morning.
"On each occasion, the victims were minding their own business, they wouldn't have even known they were about to be attacked," he said.
"They have no links whatsoever to the man in custody."
The first of the four attacks happened in Southbank about 9.20pm last night, where a 28-year-old man was stabbed while walking along City Road, near Kings Way.
The victim, a Mount Waverley man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries to his leg and torso.
One of the victims was attacked outside a burger store on King Street in Melbourne CBD. Nine
A 24-year-old was then stabbed from behind, outside a King Street burger shop at around 10pm.
"The victim wouldn't have known it was coming," Senior Sergeant Eyries said.
He was taken to hospital with a non-life-threatening leg injury.
The stabbing spree allegedly began in Melbourne's CBD. 9News
Police said the offender then made his way to Dandenong Road, in St Kilda East, most likely by public transport.
Just before 11pm, he allegedly set upon a man and a woman, both aged 31, leaving the woman with life-threatening injuries.
"She was stabbed multiple times," Senior Sergeant Eyries said.
Her condition has overnight been downgraded from life-threatening to critical but stable.
The man, believed to be her partner, was taken to hospital with a serious arm injury.
It's believed the attacker then made his way to nearby Acland Street, in St Kilda, where a 31-year-old English tourist was allegedly stabbed just after midnight.
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He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Images of the man, who was wearing a "very distinctive" lime green hooded jumper and dark cargo pants, were then circulated to all police before a PSO spotted the man on a train around 1.30am.
A woman is fighting for life and three others are in hospital. 9News
There was a short foot chase before a 31-year-old Melton man was arrested with the use of capsicum pray near Balaclava station, Senior Sergeant Eyries said.
Police allege in his backpack was a trove of weapons including kitchen knives.
He has been charged with offences including intentionally cause serious injury in circumstances of gross violence and recklessly cause injury .
He will face Melbourne Magistrates' Court tomorrow.
Police arrested a man early this morning. 9News
Senior Sergeant Eyries said police were investigating if the man in custody had been drug or alcohol affected, or whether mental health had played a role in his actions.
Officers are canvassing CCTV but have urged anyone with footage of the man, who is described as appearing Caucasian, throughout the night to contact police.
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