In brief
In central Melbourne, a delivery rider from China was killed and a second rider seriously injured when a 51‑year‑old suspect stabbed them during an altercation over tampered bikes. Police charged the suspect with murder and serious injury, and officials have pledged tough action and protection for gig‑economy workers.
A 51‑year‑old man from Melbourne’s inner‑west was charged with murder and intentional severe injury after a fatal stabbing that took the life of a 47‑year‑old Chinese delivery rider in the city’s CBD on Friday night.
Victorian Police said the incident occurred while the two riders were working as food‑delivery couriers. They had seen a third man allegedly tampering with their bicycles, which led to a confrontation that ended with the 51‑year‑old man pulling a knife.
The attacker stabbed the Chinese rider, identified as Jianming Feng, multiple times. He died shortly after the assault, while a second rider, a 34‑year‑old Australian, was seriously wounded and taken to hospital.
After an investigation, homicide squad detectives arrested the suspect in Footscray, a suburb west of Melbourne. He has been formally charged with one count of murder and one count of intentional serious injury.
On Saturday, hundreds gathered in a vigil in central Melbourne to mourn the death of the Chinese rider and the injuries suffered by the second rider. The crowd raised a candlelight memorial that reflected the city’s shock at the attack.
On the same day, Chinese Consul‑General in Melbourne, Fang Xinwen, held an urgent telephone conversation with Victorian Premier Ben Carroll. Fang pressured the Premier, the Victorian Government and Victoria Police to handle the case fairly, punish the perpetrator severely and safeguard the life and rights of Chinese nationals in Victoria.
Premier Carroll, in a televised address on Sunday, pledged that crimes like this would not be tolerated and that justice would be served. He also stated that the state government would make any necessary changes to protect gig‑economy workers.
Victorian Police urged the public to remain alert and to report any suspicious activity involving the movement of delivery vehicles in the city’s CBD.
Authorities have confirmed that investigation continues, and the suspect remains in custody awaiting trial. The case has drawn international attention to the safety of gig‑economy workers in major cities.
The incident has sparked calls across Australia for tighter security measures for independent delivery riders, a group that has faced growing numbers of violent incidents in recent years.
Law enforcement officials have emphasized that the charges relate to the specific violent act and that innocent individuals had no connection to the altercation as per their preliminary findings.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll thanked the public for its support and pledged ongoing reforms after the incident, signaling that the government is committed to ensuring worker safety in the gig economy sector as part of its broader public safety strategy.
