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Melbourne mourns as baby becomes fifth fatality of rampage

As Melburnians awoke to a peaceful sunny Saturday in Melbourne’s CBD, crowds began gathering to lay floral tributes in a growing memorial to the four victims who lost their lives in Friday’s shocking car rampage.

Tragically, that number grew to five on Saturday night, with police confirming that a three-month-old boy had lost his struggle for life at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

“Sorry we could not protect you,” was one of hundreds of messages, teddy bears and bouquets placed outside the old GPO building on the corner of Elizabeth and Bourke Streets.

Thalia Hakin, 10, from the Beth Rivkah Ladies College in Melbourne, was one of the three who died at the scene.

Thalia’s sister Maggie, 9, and mother Naomi, who were also injured in the lunch time attack, remain in hospital.

Relatives, including husband Tony, were reportedly keeping a bedside vigil.

Shocked tourists, city workers, CBD residents and dozens of families on school holidays visited the site to pay their respects.

Some stood quietly as they wiped away tears. Others returned to make sense of how they narrowly avoided being part of yesterday’s carnage.

By mid-morning, Premier Daniel Andrews, Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, in a show of solidarity, together laid their own tributes as plans for a candlelight vigil were underway.

“Our hearts are breaking this afternoon. People have died in the heart of our city. Others are seriously injured. Young and old,” Mr Andrews said.

“All of them were innocent. All of them were just going about their day like you or I. Some families are just starting to find out the news about their loved ones, and right now, our thoughts are with each and every one of them.”

Mourners reflect in silence at the floral tribute in the Bourke Street mall. Photo: Getty

Mourners reflect in silence at the floral tribute in the Bourke Street mall. Photo: Getty

Commissioner Ashton said there were “fairly grave fears” for several of the injured still in hospital.

Two of the victims who died in the attack were a man, 25, and a woman, 32, who were each found at separate locations along Bourke Street on Friday and are not believed to be related.

A 33-year-old, reportedly a father on his lunch break, died later in hospital.

Thalia Hakin died when the car drove through the Bourke Street Mall.

Melburnians laid floral tributes at the site of the horror incident.

Melburnians laid floral tributes at the site of the horror incident.

Rabbi Daniel Rabin, who is on the rabbinical council for Thalia’s school, said the school community was shocked by the “horrific tragedy”.

“We mourn the loss of our dear student and community member Thalia Hakin, as well as the others who lost their lives,” Rabbi Rabin posted on Facebook.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hakin family.”

A crowd funding campaign set up by martial arts trainer Avi Yemini has raised more than $18,000 for the family.

“(I saw) two little girls who came to class each week with bright and warm smiles,” Mr Yemini posted on the crowdfunding page.

“They were always happy and bubbly and I am heartbroken to know that they have been torn apart in this most senseless and horrific way.”

Melbourne rampage

Well-wishers including Premier Daniel Andrews and Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton left flowers in the Bourke St mall. Photo: The New Daily

Police say 30 were injured and on Saturday morning grave fears were held for at least two critically wounded victims.

Of the seven at The Alfred hospital, three were critical, one was serious and three were stable on Saturday.

Eleven victims were taken to The Royal Melbourne Hospital after the attack, and on Saturday three of those were critical, two serious, four stable and two had been discharged.

Five people were stable in St Vincent’s Hospital, three women in their 30s with multiple facial wounds and fractures and two men with leg fractures.

Three people with non-critical injuries were taken to Epworth Healthcare on Friday but were discharged on Saturday.

The driver of the car, 26-year-old Dimitrious “Jimmy” Gargasoulas, was shot in the arm by police and underwent surgery on Saturday. He is understood to be at The Alfred Hospital.

It is unclear if he is counted among the numbers injured in the incident.

Those mowed down in the rampage receive medical care on the street. Photo: Getty

Those mowed down in the rampage receive medical care on the street. Photo: Getty

Gargasoulas allegedly stabbed his brother, Angelo, at Windsor early on Friday before going on the CBD rampage 11 hours later. He is believed to be in the same hospital as his brother.

Mr Andrews said the rampage was “a terrible crime, a senseless, evil act”, and that “justice will be done”.

Eyewitness to yesterday’s deadly ramage, pregnant mother Meesha Rhodes Ali, 31, who was caught up in the city carnage, told news.com.au she and her brother Ian Rhodes, 33, were in their car at the Flinders Street intersection when Gargasoulas began doing burnouts.

As she reversed her car, he suddenly “stopped right in front of us”, she told news.com.au, saying she recorded the unfolding drama on her dash cam camera and later uploaded the footage to social media.

A sobbing Ms Rhodes is heard to say “Oh my God”.

“We heard him say ‘f*** the world, you’re all sheep, die, die, die.

“It was obvious he was going to kill because he wasn’t stopping and did not care about police. He was gesturing and motioning them like he was almost waiting for them.”

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