Victoria Police have mounted a major search operation across Melbourne after a man allegedly stabbed two people in separate incidents before fleeing on foot. The police dog squad, air wing and patrol units were all deployed to track down the suspect, who remains at large across large parts of the city.
The first incident occurred in the suburb of Epping in the early hours of Saturday morning, where a person was stabbed. Police had been actively searching for the suspect throughout the morning but were unable to locate him before he struck again approximately fifty kilometres away in Dandenong North.
At about ten o'clock in the morning, the man allegedly drove his vehicle into the front of a home in Dandenong North before entering the property and stabbing a woman in her thirties who was inside. Police confirmed the attack was targeted and do not believe it was a random act of violence.
Neighbours described the shocking scenes, with one witness reporting that the offender walked away from the house in a casual manner before disappearing from the area. Sniffer dogs were subsequently brought in to try to track the suspect through the surrounding streets. Residents expressed disbelief, saying the quiet neighbourhood had been free of serious crime for years.
Investigators have been examining the vehicle that was abandoned at the scene and are continuing their search for the suspect. Police have urged anyone with information about the man's whereabouts to come forward immediately. The investigation into both stabbings is ongoing, with detectives working to establish the full circumstances and any connection between the suspect and his victims.