BLOODBATH IN THE PARK
Man stabbed to death on birthday, two hurt in frenzy
A MAN stabbed to death following a brawl in Murwillumbah’s Knox Park yesterday had been celebrating his birthday. Charlie Lartner, 46, was one of three people who suffered knife wounds in a midday tragedy that played out in front of shocked onlookers. A 32-year-old man was arrested and was assisting police with their inquiries last night.
CHARLIE Larter had planned to celebrate his birthday yesterday with a quiet drink at the pub with his wife and son. He never made it. The 46-year-old was stabbed trying to save his son during a bloody attack near Knox Park in Murwillumbah.
Paramedics performed CPR on the scene and rushed Mr Larter to hospital, but the well-known local suffered a heart attack and died a short time later in the Tweed Hospital.
A shirtless man with face tattoos and a large kitchen knife attacked Mr Larter, his teenage son, Zack, and a male friend at about 12.40pm on Prince St. It is believed the attack followed a wild brawl in the park minutes earlier.
Zack, 18, was stabbed once in the chest before his father jumped in to protect him, while the 29-year-old male family friend suffered cuts in the attack.
A 32-year-old was arrested by Tweed police nearby. Last night he was assisting police with inquiries, but had not been charged.
Mr Larter’s sister, Cathy Larter, said she was in shock after speaking to her brother just hours before he was killed.
Speaking from her Gold Coast home Ms Larter said she wished her brother a “happy birthday” and told him she loved him. “He was planning to go have some drinks and go to the pub with his family ... next thing I hear he has been killed and my nephew is in surgery,” she said.
Ms Larter said she did not know Zack’s condition last night, but the family were hopeful he would make a full recovery.
A teenage witness, known only as Rob, said he watched the life drain from the wellknown local.
“His wife was screaming, and both he and his son were bleeding, it was awful,” he said.
“As they ran past he jumped out and started stabbing ... the older man tried to help his son and fell, he was stabbed four or five times.
“I got video of it happening ... but detectives made me delete it after giving it to them ... I saw a man dying in front of me.”
Another witness, who wouldn’t be named, said a fight broke out in the park about 12.15pm between a tattooed man and a group of youths.
“The bloke left for a while and came back with a big knife, that’s when it really started to get intense,” he said.
“It seemed like the guy knew the three guys he stabbed, but lots of other people were getting involved.
“Some were armed with glass bottles and poles ... it all happened right at lunch time in front of kids and old people.”
The streets around Knox Park were cordoned off for several hours yesterday afternoon as forensic officers combed the area for clues and looked in drains for evidence.
Tweed Superintendent Wayne Starling said a 32year-old a man was assisting officers with inquiries and investigations were continuing.
HIS WIFE WAS SCREAMING, AND BOTH HE AND HIS SON WERE BLEEDING, IT WAS AWFUL. WITNESS