10-Year-Old Boy Punched Before Mother Is Grabbed in Headlock and Stabbed Repeatedly as Her Children Watch

A 10-year-old boy was allegedly punched in the chest before a man put his mother in a headlock and repeatedly stabbed her with scissors in front of her three children on a busy Melbourne street. The attack took place at about 1pm on Tuesday, 25 August, on Spencer Street near La Trobe Street in the city's central business district.

Police said the boy was walking with his mother and two other children when the 27-year-old man allegedly punched him. The man initially walked away before turning back towards the family.

He then allegedly grabbed the boy's mother and put her in a headlock before stabbing her repeatedly with a pair of scissors. The woman suffered injuries to her upper body, including her back and shoulders.

She and her son were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The woman's other two children were not physically injured but witnessed the attack.

Bystanders Step in as Woman Is Attacked

People nearby intervened as the woman was being attacked. One passer-by reportedly moved towards the man and pulled him away from the woman. Two others then helped restrain him until police arrived.

Superintendent Zorka Dunstan said the intervention prevented the attack from becoming more serious. 'It's heroic,' she said.

'Without a doubt without their intervention it could have been a lot worse, so we are so grateful for their assistance.' Police were quickly on the scene because the attack happened near Victoria Police headquarters.

Officers arrested the man and seized a pair of scissors. The suspect was identified as a 27-year-old man from Sunshine West.

He remained in custody and was yet to be interviewed by police. Police said the man and the victims were not known to each other.

Children Traumatised After Witnessing Assault

Dunstan said the two other children were not physically injured but had been affected by what they saw. 'We also have the two other kids who witnessed the attack,' she said.

'Fortunately, they weren't injured but obviously they have been impacted witnessing such an incident, especially occurring to their mother and brother.'

Dunstan said she saw the incident from her office at Victoria Police headquarters.

She later spoke with the children. 'One of the boys who was 11 years old, he was crying,' she said. 'I gave him a hug because I was impacted just watching how he reacted.'

The family was visiting Melbourne from the Phillip Island area when the attack occurred. Police said the boy and his mother remained in hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Police Treating Attack as Random

Police said the suspect and the family did not know each other and that the motive remained unknown. Dunstan described the incident as random.

'It's completely random, we're horrified by it,' she said. The suspect is known to police in Victoria and Western Australia, according to Dunstan. Investigators are examining his background as they work to establish what led to the attack.

Police have not said that the suspect had any connection to the family. The investigation remains at an early stage, with the suspect yet to be interviewed.

Mental Health Line of Inquiry

Police are also investigating whether mental health played a role in the incident. Dunstan said detectives would examine whether mental health was a factor.

The suspect had not been interviewed when police gave their initial account, so investigators had not yet obtained his explanation for what happened. Police have not announced a motive or established why the man allegedly approached the boy.

The incident began with the alleged assault on the child before the man returned to the family and attacked his mother. The suspect remains in custody while police investigate.

The mother and her 10-year-old son were treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Victoria Police said the investigation was continuing.