Six teenage boys and a girl are arrested over the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy

Seven teenagers have been arrested in Melbourne following the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Declan Cutler. 

Homicide detectives and other police officers executed warrants on Wednesday and arrested six males and a female aged, who are aged between 13 and 17.  

Declan died after being attacked on Elizabeth Street in Coburg North, at around 2.40am on March 13.  

Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said many experienced police saw the ‘profoundly violent attack’ as one of the most brutal they had ever come across.

‘It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, having their teenage child leave the house for a night out with friends and never returning, however this is exactly what happened on this occasion,’ Mr Hill said.

‘The senseless nature of this incident should not be lost on anyone – I know it has impacted our police.’

Those arrested are a 17-year-old Taylors Hill boy, a 17-year-old Tarneit boy, a 15-year-old Hoppers Crossing boy, a 16-year-old Yarraville boy, a 13-year-old Meadow Heights boy, a 14-year-old Meadow Heights boy and a 17-year-old girl from Clifton Hill. 

Mr Hill said the arrests follow an ‘extraordinary investigative effort’ by detectives and local police in the area.

‘I know many will be horrified by the young age of those arrested today but let me be very clear – we will be relentless in pursuing anyone responsible for this level of violence, regardless of their age,’ Mr Hill said.

‘There are so many impacted people whose lives have been changed forever by what happened the night Declan died, most of all his family.

‘Our thoughts are very much with his loved ones and we will continue to ensure all the relevant support services are made available.’ 

Declan had been at a house party in Coburg North when a group of teenagers were chased by a group in a dark-coloured car. 

Declan became separated from his friends and those in car caught up with him. 

Police (pictured) are investigating the killing of Declan Cutler, who was stabbed to death in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir

He was attacked on Coburg North nature strip near the corner of Horton and Elizabeth streets. 

A family friend of Declan’s has launched a fundraiser ‘to give him the send off he deserves’.

He was one of two people killed in five separate knife attacks in Melbourne over Victoria’s Labour Day long weekend. 

‘On 13/3 Declan grew his wings,’ fundraising organiser Lacey Trafford wrote on the GoFundMe page for him. 

She said he was a ‘very caring, loving and easy going person’.

‘A beloved son, big brother and very respected friend was taken unexpectedly in a horrific way. 

There were multiple stabbings over the Labour Day long weekend in Melbourne

‘Over the long weekend two people tragically lost their life to stabbings and Declan was one,’ Ms Trafford said. 

Declan’s mother, Sam Cutler, said she was ‘broken’ and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

‘I miss him so much, his life was taken in such a cruel way, and way before his time. The people who did this are cowards,’ she said.

‘Knowing he was intoxicated, they preyed on him; knowing he couldn’t get away. These people need to be found and justice served. I want my son back, I am broken.’

Neighbours said they heard yelling coming from the street, before rushing to try to help Declan. 

Police said he was stabbed with an ‘edged weapon’. He was treated by emergency services, but died at the scene.

Three teenagers were arrested following an altercation at Flinders Street Station in Melbourne last weekend

Police investigating the attack said they were shocked by the brutality of the assault after reviewing CCTV of the incident.

Detective Superintendent Paul O’Halloran said Declan was at a house party in Coburg at about 2.40am when a group arrived looking for him and his friends.

He and several friends ran from the house and were chased by a small dark car. 

Declan became separated from his friends and was unable to get away from the vehicle.

‘The young male was separated from his friends and he was attacked by that group of offenders,’ Superintendent O’Halloran told The Age.

They allegedly kicked, punched and stabbed Declan several times in a shockingly violent attack.

A social media post by the Darwin Salties of Alier Riak, who died after being stabbed in Melbourne in the early hours of Sunday

‘I’m also told by the investigators reviewing some footage they were able to obtain that it was a very, very vicious assault. 

‘In fact, [they] are quite shocked about the brutality of the assault which involved a number of stabbings to the victim and also kicks and punches,’ Superintendent O’Halloran said.

A large kitchen knife and another blade were among the items found by officers near the crime scene.

Superintendent O’Halloran said the police had some ‘very strong lines of inquiry’ and believed the attackers had targeted the teenager. 

‘No teenager deserves this, let alone my godson,’ a relative told 9News.

‘It’s just shocking, it’s horrible for us as a family.’

Ms Trafford, the fundraising organiser, said ‘I am here to help raise money for his family in support of sending Declan off the way he deserves.

‘He was a very caring, loving and easy going person. Loved you for who you are.’ 

Declan was the eldest of five children, with three brothers and one sister. 

‘He absolutely adored, he loved and cared for them and they loved him more then ever,’ said Ms Trafford. 

She added that Declan’s family and friends ‘are lost for words (and) absolutely devastated’.  

The GoFundMe page had already raised around $6,000 of its $10,000 goal by Wednesday afternoon, from almost 100 donations. 

One commenter said ‘RIP beautiful boy. You were taken far to soon. A piece of you will live on in all of us.’

Another said ‘This child’s life was taken way too soon. He was so young and had his whole life ahead of him. 

‘He’ll never find love, have a family or the opportunity to live the full life he so deserved. I’m just devastated for his family.’

‘Declan was such a valued member of the Pavilion School community. Sending all of our love to his family and friends. We will miss him terribly,’ said another. 

Later on the same night Declan was killed, at around 3.20am, two men in their 20s from Western Australia were stabbed in a fight on Bourke Street, in the Docklands area of the city.

A witness said he heard men shouting and then women screaming.

‘It started to escalate. There had to be 20 odd people,’ he said.

Both men were taken to hospital but one died a short time later.

He was named as Alier Riak, 23, a promising basketball player. 

Mr Riak died in the Royal Melbourne Hospital, while the other man was discharged from The Alfred Hospital on Sunday morning. 

He had only just signed up to play with the semi-professional basketball team Darwin Salties in the Northern Territory. 

Three teenagers from Werribee were also arrested following an altercation at Flinders Street Station in Melbourne CBD last weekend, while the city was packed for the Moomba Festival.

A 15-year-old boy suffered life-threatening injuries in the fight at about 1.10am on Sunday.

A day earlier, in the early hours of the Saturday morning, a ride-share driver was stabbed in Fitzroy just before 3.40am, and on the Friday night, an 18-year-old man was stabbed in Federation Square in the city.