Pharmacist opens up about Knife incident

A FORMER soldier accused of allegedly stabbing a man and threatening others with a knife faced court on Monday.

Travis Johnston appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury, unlawful assault, intentionally causing injury, assault with a weapon and affray.

In footage widely shared, Torquay man Marty Cooper can be seen holding his 19-month baby as a man holds a knife in his hand behind him.

 

 

Pharmacy assistant Bel McKenna was out in the backroom having a cup of tea when she heard the commotion.

“I could hear loud yelling and crashing.”

She said she put down her tea and stepped out into a surreal scene.

“As I walked through the door I went straight to the gentleman with the child and said are you ok.”

She then consoled her regular customers.

 

 

As part of their tour of the Surf Coast on Tuesday Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Corangamite candidate Darcy Dunstan met with Pharmacy manager Kim Carmalt.

“Peter was upset with what had happened in our community,” Ms Carmalt said.

“My concern is mental health, it’s about prevention and cure, and this person needed help.”

“For the staff it was absolutely terrifying. It’s horrifying that our staff and customers had to go through that.”

She said Mr Dutton spoke about the security of Australia and the importance of people feeling safe in their day to day lives.

 

 

Darcy Dunstan also said community safety was important.

“Residents and business owners shouldn’t have to look over their shoulders,” he said.

“Yet we are consistently being let down by state and federal Labor governments which are failing to apply the kind of policies that would strengthen police resources, clamp down on crime and give people the peace-of-mind they deserve.”

The situation came to a head last Saturday when Victoria Police arrested a man in connection with a series of alleged violent acts in Torquay, including a stabbing and multiple assaults.

Early in the day, around 10.45am, a man allegedly wielding a knife was seen moving through Zeally Bay Road and Fischer Street.

According to witnesses, he entered several businesses before allegedly approaching and stabbing a man on Zeally Bay Road.

The victim sustained minor injuries and was treated by paramedics at the scene.

 

 

Following the stabbing, the assailant entered a pharmacy on Gilbert Street, where he allegedly assaulted two more people, who did not sustain injuries.

From there witnesses say he fled down Fischer St.

“He ran from the scene and was arrested a short time later at a residence in Torquay,” the police statement read.

Magistrate Ann McGarvie adjourned the matter until May 22.