Man stabbed in Gold Coast car park identified
By Cloe Read
A man who was fatally stabbed in the car park of a Gold Coast shopping precinct on Monday afternoon had been allegedly attacked during a drug deal gone wrong, police believe.
Police on Tuesday morning charged a 23-year-old Redbank Plains man with the alleged stabbing of Surfers Paradise man Will Swinbourne, 21, near the Hope Island Shopping Centre.
Detective Inspector Mark Mooney said police believed Swinbourne had arrived at the complex to sell drugs. He said his alleged attacker then attempted to rob him.
“We believe the altercation commenced inside the car and obviously he got out at some point in time because he was found on the ground,” Mooney said.
The death prompted a strong police response, with multiple crews and the police helicopter searching for two suspects on Monday afternoon.
Mooney said officers arrested the accused at a construction site, while the second man called police and officers went to his home.
The Redbank Plains man had been staying at the Gold Coast over the weekend, and had met Swinbourne at the Fred Again festival at the Spit.
Mooney said the second man, who had earlier been drinking at the Boardwalk Tavern, was not involved in the alleged murder.
Detectives believed Swinbourne had only just arrived at the scene when he was allegedly attacked with a kitchen knife. The incident happened “very quickly”, Mooney said.
“It’s very concerning behaviour. I think anyone who takes a knife anywhere is asking for trouble,” Mooney said.
“It’s really devastating that this is still occurring in our community.”
Swinbourne’s online profiles show he attended Marymount College and was studying at Griffith University.
Police urged anyone with dashcam footage or other vision and information to come forward.