Night out ends tragically for victim

　　November 30, 2007 - 6:09AM The Age Newspaper

　　A 17-year-old student out with his mates was fatally stabbed during a clash between two groups of young men outside a Melbourne convenience store.

　　Yan Yu, also known as Ricky, of Springvale, died on Thursday night after being stabbed outside a 7-Eleven store at Box Hill, in Melbourne's east, as paramedics struggled to save him.

　　A 19-year-old friend was also stabbed in the argument, which broke out about 11.40pm (AEDT).

　　He remains in a stable condition at The Alfred hospital.

　　Police on Friday arrested a 21-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy, both from Box Hill South, over the stabbing murder.

　　Charges had yet to be laid on Friday afternoon.

　　Police said a knife had been found in shrubbery close to where Mr Yu was stabbed and they were investigating whether it was the murder weapon.

　　The two victims were among eight young men who had been drinking in a nearby park after having dinner at a Box Hill restaurant, police said.

　　Detective Senior Sergeant Jeff Maher said the group encountered four youths outside the 7-Eleven.

　　"It was a tragic and unprovoked attack on the 17-year-old. It's an emotional thing where a young person has been cut down in the prime of his life," he said.

　　"I appeal to young people out there carrying knives - it's just plain stupidity, it just ends in tears as it has done on this occasion."

　　A motorist buying fuel at the 7-Eleven applied first aid to Mr Yu and was trying to get him into his car to rush him to hospital when the ambulance arrived.

　　"They tried to do what they could do, but the gentleman could not be saved," Det Snr Sgt Maher said.

　　Police downloaded CCTV footage from the store to help the hunt for the four youths, who fled in two cars.

　　"We have video surveillance footage and it will help us with our inquiries - we will get to the bottom of this murder," he said.

　　Police on Friday found a hatchback Mitsubishi Colt that was seen speeding away from the stabbing.

　　Police release pair over teen's death

　　November 30, 2007 - 5:48PM www.theage.com.au

　　Police have released a 21-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy without charge after questioning them over the stabbing death of a youth, 17, in Melbourne's south-east.

　　Homicide squad detectives and Box Hill police interviewed the pair, both of Box Hill South, over the incident late last night in which Springvale teenager Yan Yu, also known as Ricky, was killed.

　　Police say they have found a black Mitsubishi Colt seen leaving the area after the stabbing.

　　The attack left a 19-year-old friend of Mr Yu in hospital with stab wounds. The injured man left The Alfred hospital this morning.

　　No charges have been laid.

　　Police this morning found a 10-centimetre bloodied knife in bushes outside the convenience store on the corner of Whitehorse Road and Station Street, Box Hill, where the stabbings occurred.

　　Mr Yu was part of a group of eight males drinking in a park near the convenience store, police said.

　　The males were approached by a group of three men and one woman. The two groups began to exchange taunts, after which Mr Yu and his friend were stabbed.

　　Mr Yu was rushed to Box Hill Hospital in a critical condition but died a short time later.

　　Victoria Police spokesman Senior Constable Wayne Wilson said officers had worked to keep Mr Yu alive until an ambulance arrived.

　　Both victims were stabbed in the upper body, Senior Constable Wilson said.

　　Homicide Detective Senior Sergeant Jeff Maher said the two groups were not known to each other and the victims not previously known to police.

　　Senior Sergeant Maher said the victims were not part of a gang, but were among friends who earlier had dinner at a nearby restaurant.

　　The group of people eight were drinking in a park where they shared a slab of beer.

　　''The eight, the victims in this case, they were just students with part-time employment," Senior Sergeant Maher said.

　　"They were just people hanging around in the park in a social atmosphere.

　　"We know that they had a meal together and we know that they were having a drink together, and it went from there.

　　''Definitely they were not gangs and definitely they were not known to (the other group).

　　''From what we know this is a tragic and unprovoked attack on a 17-year-old and it's a shame - a young person cut down in the prime of their life.''

　　Police also called on teenagers to rethink carrying weapons on the streets.

　　''I want to appeal to these young people carrying knives, it's just pure stupidity and it just ends in tears and this is what it's done in this occasion,'' Senior Sergeant Maher said.

　　Anyone with information is urged to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au.