The person who stabbed a man and left him to die in a targeted attack outside a Wollongong methadone clinic remains on the run as a police strike force works to determine what sparked the fatal altercation.
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Emergency services were called to the Denison Street clinic about 6am on Friday after reports of a fight on the footpath outside.
Wollongong Police District Commander, Acting Superintendent Chad Gillies, said officers found a man with a stab wound to his chest and worked desperately to save him.
“My understanding is CPR was administered to the male at the scene, there was an amount of blood at the scene,” Superintendent Gillies said.
The man was rushed to Wollongong Hospital but died a short time later.
Read more: Stabbing death closes Wollongong CBD streets
Superintendent Gillies said the victim, a 39-year-old from Bulli, was on his way to visit the methadone clinic when the fight broke out.
The altercation involved two people, he said. A description of the offender has not yet been released, but Superintendent Gillies said police knew their identity. It is unclear whether that person was also visiting the clinic.
“There is a male, who is apparently known to the deceased, who was allegedly involved in that altercation. We’re currently in the position of trying to locate that individual,” Superintendent Gillies said.
“My message to that individual is to hand themself in to the local police station.
“Our goal at the moment is to speak to that individual to ascertain the circumstances of what occurred this morning.”
Superintendent Gillies moved to reassure the community’s safety, despite the offender still being at large, by reiterating the two people involved knew each other.
“It wasn’t a random attack,” he said.
A number of other people who were in the area around the clinic at the time of the incident are being interviewed by Wollongong detectives.
CCTV is also being reviewed as part of the investigation.
However, Superintendent Gillies couldn’t confirm whether a Wollongong City Council CCTV camera near the clinic captured the incident, saying only that detectives were looking at footage.
The crime scene was examined by forensic police, with officers from the public order and riot squad conducting a line search of the street.
“At this stage, no knife, or no weapon or no exhibits have been retrieved from that area.
Superintendent Gillies said the exact type of weapon used to stab the man was unknown but “it was certainly an instrument that was used to potentially inflict a stab wound”.
Yellow-and-black markers on the footpath identified the location where the fight unfolded; a pile of bloodied clothes left in situ as forensic officers photographed the scene.
Superintendent Gillies wouldn’t elaborate on the injuries sustained by the man, only to say he suffered a stab wound to the chest area and autopsy would be carried out.
Police have also revealed little about the circumstances leading up to the altercation.
Anyone who was on Denison Street at the time has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Andrew Pearson
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
