Fatal stabbing in city
A 21-YEAR-OLD man will face court this morning charged with murder after a fatal stabbing in the Target department store in Hobart's CBD yesterday.
A Warrane man, 24, died after being stabbed just before 2pm while in the menswear department of the Elizabeth Mall store.
Horrified shoppers and staff witnessed the incident and jumped to the victim's aid while the alleged attacker fled the scene.
The victim was said to be slumped on the floor not far from the Cat and Fiddle Arcade entrance of the store.
A witness said there were a large number of blood stains on the store's tiled floor, starting near the shoe department and continuing around to the menswear department.
Police said he was stabbed twice.
Staff and onlookers rushed to the assistance of the victim, using towels from the upstairs manchester department to stem his bleeding, but although ambulance crews arrived within minutes the man died at the scene.
Uniformed police promptly sounded the fire alarm and evacuated shoppers from the store, closing all doors.
They also took the names of people leaving the store so they could be contacted later as witnesses.
Those who witnessed the stabbing were visibly shaken, as were staff who were sent home for the afternoon.
Many milled around outside -- along with dozens of onlookers keen to learn what all the fuss was about -- as police continued their investigations inside.
Up to 30 detectives -- as well as dozens of forensic and uniformed police -- gathered evidence at the scene until about 7pm.
Police scoured Hobart during the afternoon for the alleged attacker.
Two city school campuses, St Mary's and St Virgil's, were locked down shortly after the events.
Police also searched rubbish bins and flower beds in the city centre, looking for evidence including a murder weapon.
Detective-Inspector Peter Powell said last night police were still speaking to witnesses but it appeared the two men knew each other.
He said the victim was stabbed twice but died a short time later.
Det-Insp Powell urged anyone with information about the attack to come forward.
He said the incident was traumatic for witnesses -- including shoppers and staff -- but said people should not be afraid to return to the store, which is expected to reopen today.
"People might see that something has happened at a department store in the middle of the city and wonder if it's safe to go in there," Det-Insp Powell said.
"But this is not a random attack, it's not someone coming into the city and attacking random strangers.
"We are confident that it was an altercation between two people who were known to each other ... it's certainly not some crazed person on the rampage attacking people they don't know."
About 7pm detectives took a 21-year-old West Hobart man into custody.
He will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court this morning.
Accused stabber behind bars
A 21-YEAR-OLD West Hobart man accused of the stabbing murder of another man in the Target department store yesterday, remains behind bars today after a brief appearance at Hobart's Magistrates Court.
Jayden Glenn Montgomery, 21, of Bathurst St, West Hobart, has been charged with the stabbing murder of Warrane man Adrian Shane Fitzpatrick, 24, in Hobart's CBD.
Montgomery entered no plea and was remanded in custody.
The accused, wearing a white T-shirt, looked briefly over to his family sitting in the public gallery as he entered the dock but showed no emotion as he confirmed his name to Magistrate Olivia McTaggart.
Montgomery's lawyer Roger Baker successfully moved for an adjournment until October 27. |
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