A young convenience store employee is fortunate to be alive after a vicious knife attack during a robbery in Adelaide's northeast on Tuesday night.
Violent Attack Caught on Camera
CCTV footage from the Klemzig store shows a car pulling up just before the incident. Two individuals exit the vehicle before entering the shop. Moments later, the 21-year-old worker is seen fleeing the store, desperately running for his life towards a nearby hotel after being stabbed in the neck.
"Saw a guy running from the main road to the OG hotel," said Akhil Veloor, a local restaurant owner who witnessed the aftermath. "I came back and saw the convenience store was robbed and I could see all the boxes on the floor."
Patrons and Staff Rally to Help
When the injured worker reached the OG Hotel, patrons quickly came to his aid. They helped him into the gaming room where hotel staff retrieved a first aid kit. Applying pressure to the bleeding neck wound, they provided crucial assistance until paramedics arrived on the scene.
The victim was transported to hospital in a critical condition but has since been reported as stable. "He's really lucky. I saw him running without a t-shirt. It's shocking to see our neighbours getting stabbed," Veloor added.
Community Outrage and Rising Crime Concerns
The brazen attack has left the local community shaken and angry. One resident described the act as "disgusting" and "animal-like," noting that a neck wound is often fatal. Bystanders reported seeing one of the assailants armed with a machete.
Veloor speculated on the altercation: "They might have had a fight, I'm not sure. They came to try, came to steal some smokes ... they might have stabbed him and the guy ran."
This incident has highlighted growing fears about crime in the area. Nearby workers claim crime in Klemzig is out of control, with the same convenience store reportedly targeted in ten break-ins over the past three months alone.
"The crime is going up in Adelaide, especially, I think, yeah in this area, I've heard of a lot of stores getting break-ins recently," Veloor stated.
South Australia Police are investigating the robbery and assault and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
