7:45pm, Thursday 26: Police have charged three youths over a stabbing in Launceston on Wednesday night.
The teenagers, one aged 15-years-old and two 16-year-olds, will be held overnight to front the Youth Justice Division of the Launceston Magistrates Court tomorrow.
Each has been charged with wounding, trespass and possess dangerous article in a public place.
A 50-year-old man received serious injuries as a result of the alleged attack.
Third teenager arrested after Launceston wounding
2pm, Thursday 26: A third youth has been taken into custody following a wounding in Launceston overnight.
Police arrested the 16-year-old around 12pm on Thursday, with investigators “continuing to follow a specific line of inquiry” to locate a fourth youth believed to have been involved.
Inspector Andrew Hanson said the victim, a 50-year-old man, was allegedly stabbed multiple times by the four teenagers who had climbed onto the roof of the Racecourse shopping centre.
He said a 000 call was made by a concerned member of the public just before the incident who was worried the teenagers would “fall and hurt themselves”.
Moments later, the victim, who was waiting for his wife inside the shopping centre, became involved in a “verbal disagreement” with the teenagers on the roof.
He went up to the roof and was allegedly stabbed multiple times, resulting in significant wounds and blood loss.
The man managed to return to the ground floor, where he was met by police and paramedics who performed life-saving first aid.
Investigations into the incident are continuing.
Arrests made after serious wounding at Launceston shopping centre
9:30am Thursday 26: Two teenagers have been arrested over a wounding that left a man seriously injured at a Launceston shopping centre overnight.
A 16-year-old and and 17-year-old were taken into custody on Wednesday night and are “assisting police with their inquiries”.
Police say the victim, who is believed to be in his 50s, remains in the Launceston General Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Anyone with information about a “group of youths wearing dark, hooded clothing” in the area at the time is asked to contact Police.
Person left seriously injured after wounding at Launceston shopping centre
Wednesday night: A person has been left with serious injuries after allegedly being wounded by a ‘group wearing dark clothing’ at a Launceston shopping centre tonight.
Inspector Luke Manhood said emergency services were called to the Racecourse Crescent complex around 8:40pm on Wednesday where they found the victim seriously injured.
Manhood said witnesses reported a group of people wearing dark, hooded clothing in the area at the time of the “wounding incident”.
“This is a serious incident and we will be focusing our efforts on finding the offender or offenders involved,” he said.
Anyone with information about their identities is urged to come forward by contacting Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.
The victim was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to the Launceston General Hospital.
