Neurosurgeon stable after stabbing at Melbourne's Western Hospital - The Australian

A NEUROSURGEON was brutally stabbed and heroic bystanders forced to intervene as he arrived for work at a Melbourne hospital this morning.

Police allege a 48-year-old Sunshine North man ambushed the 43-year-old surgeon as he entered the building in a frenzied knife attack, inflicting life-threatening injuries.

The incident occurred in the foyer of the Western Hospital in Footscray, shortly after 8.30am.

Hospital staff, patients and other members of the public intervened, dragging the surgeon away from his attacker and rushing him to the emergency department while security staff and others kept his attacker under guard until police arrived.

The hospital says the surgeon is in a serious but stable condition, having been downgraded from critical.

His alleged attacker has been charged with attempted murder and a number of serious assault offences and will face court this afternoon.

Police have declined to speculate on a motive.

Inspector Tony Long praised those present during the attack for risking their own lives to help the surgeon.

“They have acted very bravely as the offender with the knife was still present,” he said.

Inspector Long said police were investigating whether the surgeon and his attacker were known to one another, and that the incident appeared to be a “direct confrontation” between the pair.

“It is believed (the attacker) may have pointed the knife at other people who came close but at this stage that’s still being investigated,” he said.

Inspector Long said he did not believe the suspect was known to police. He said police were interviewing witnesses and reviewing CCTV footage of the incident.

Western Health acting CEO Russel Harrison praised the actions of the staff and members of the public involved and said the hospital’s thoughts were with the surgeon’s family.

“The staff have done a remarkable job, as have the individuals who have helped out and we’re really proud of the way the staff have responded,” he said.

Mr Harrison said the hospital would conduct a full investigation into the incident.

He said that although verbal abuse and other less serious attacks on hospital staff were not uncommon, such a serious attack was “significantly rare”.

“We’re very sorry this has happened to the individual,” he said.

“He was coming to do a day’s work. He’d literally parked his car and was coming through the entrance.”

Hospital operations have not been affected.