In brief
Victoria Police charged a 51‑year‑old Melbourne resident with murder after he stabbed Chinese delivery rider Feng Jianming to death in the city centre. The case drew a vigil, comments from the Victorian Premier and the Chinese Consul‑General, and promises of policy review to better safeguard gig‑economy workers.
A 51‑year‑old man from Melbourne’s inner‑west was arrested on Monday and charged with murder and intentional serious injury after he stabbed a 47‑year‑old Chinese national to death in the city’s central business district on Friday night.
The victim, a delivery rider, was working for a gig‑economy service when the fatal stabbing occurred. Police said the altercation arose after the rider and a 34‑year‑old fellow rider witnessed a third rider allegedly tampering with their bikes. The second rider sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital.
Investigation and Charges
Victoria Police’s homicide squad detectives carried out the investigation, and the suspect was apprehended in the inner‑west of Melbourne. He has been formally charged with one count of murder and one count of intentionally causing serious injury in accordance with Victoria’s criminal law. The charges were announced in a police statement released on Monday.
Public and Government Response
Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday at a central Melbourne location to hold a vigil for the two riders, expressing grief and demanding justice.
The incident prompted an urgent telephone conversation between Chinese Consul‑General in Melbourne Fang Xinwen and Victorian Premier Ben Carroll. Fang requested that the case be handled fairly, the perpetrator severely punished, and that the lives and legitimate rights of Chinese nationals living in Victoria be safeguarded.
Premier Carroll pledged that the state government would deliver a strong message that crimes like this would not be tolerated and that justice would be served. In a later statement on Sunday, Carroll indicated that the government would make whatever changes were necessary to protect gig‑economy workers.
Both the Victorian Police and the Premier’s office have not released a timetable for the forthcoming court proceedings. The case remains in the early stages of the criminal process, with the next steps likely to involve bail hearings and formal trial arrangements.
The outcome of this case could influence broader policy discussions on the safety and legal protections afforded to gig‑economy workers in Victoria, a sector that has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years.
