MELBOURNE, November 7, 2026 — Jianming Feng, a 47-year-old food delivery rider for HungryPanda, was stabbed to death in Melbourne’s CBD on Friday night after confronting a man allegedly tampering with bicycles outside a restaurant. A 51-year-old man from Footscray was arrested on Saturday morning in connection with the incident, which also left a second rider, aged 34, with non-life-threatening injuries.
Confrontation Near Queen Victoria Market
The incident occurred on Frederick Way near Queen Victoria Market just before 8.10pm on Friday, according to Victoria Police and witness accounts. Detectives believe two riders noticed a man interfering with their bicycles outside the Chongqing Chicken Pot City restaurant and approached him. An altercation followed, resulting in both workers suffering suspected stab wounds, police said.
A restaurant worker who reviewed CCTV footage told 7NEWS the confrontation began when a man allegedly kicked over two delivery bicycles. Witness Yicong Chen filmed two riders in HungryPanda uniforms confronting a man in a black jacket and jeans near two buses, during which the man repeatedly shouted, “Stop chasing me.” The restaurant worker said the stabbing took place behind a bus, out of camera view.
Feng returned to the restaurant to collect an order before feeling unwell and collapsing, according to the restaurant worker and police. Staff noticed blood and called emergency services; paramedics performed CPR but Feng was pronounced dead at the scene around 8.20pm. The second rider was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A witness told Nine News he saw a man running from the scene with a knife and that two delivery riders tried to stop him before one fell and was stabbed.
Arrest and Investigation
Victoria Police Homicide Squad detectives arrested a 51-year-old Footscray man on Saturday morning, November 7. He remained in custody awaiting interview. Police stated they believe the individuals involved were strangers and that they were not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident. Two crime scenes were established about 100 metres apart, closing major roads in an area home to a large community of Chinese students and tourists.
A Family Nine Years Apart
Feng moved to Australia from China’s Shaanxi Province around 2017 to support his wife, Xu, 52, and their two children, now in their 20s. He had not returned to China in the nine years since his arrival. Speaking to 7NEWS, Xu said her husband had planned to return home in another year or two, possibly for their son’s wedding. The couple, married for almost 30 years, video-called almost daily.
Feng was the family’s main breadwinner, regularly sending money home and helping pay for nursing home care for his elderly father, who suffered a stroke. The care cost between 4,000 and 5,000 yuan (approximately $A800–$1,000) a month. “He was the main breadwinner in our family. Now that he’s gone, we don’t know what to do,” Xu said.
Xu last spoke to her husband via video call around 1.50pm on Friday, hours before the stabbing. He told her work would quieten down once school holidays began and Chinese students returned home. “He told me he’d send me a photo for his ID renewal in a day or two. I said it wasn’t urgent, and he said there was no need to rush,” Xu recalled. “I never imagined those would be his last words to me.” After hearing of the incident, she called repeatedly but received no answer. She later recognised his delivery bag and face in footage circulating online. The family is seeking justice and assistance to travel to Australia; Xu and relatives were expected to arrive in Melbourne on Saturday night, according to a university student who knew Feng.
Vigil and Protest at State Library
A candlelight vigil and protest rally for Feng was held at the State Library on Saturday night, drawing hundreds of attendees. The event doubled as a demonstration over community safety and working conditions for delivery riders. Organiser Cheng Zhang, a former delivery driver and university student, rejected HungryPanda’s claim that it did not immediately fine all drivers who lost deliveries. “They are wrong. Shame on them,” he said.
Cheng said he had lost an order in June and was fined $36 despite explaining it had been stolen. He suggested this policy was why Feng confronted the man allegedly trying to steal his order. “I met [Feng] sometimes, on the streets and [in] the shops. He’s a very kind person,” Cheng said. Attendees shouted grievances including “Blame HungryPanda”, “We want safety” and “Save Victoria.” University student Zeikei Shou, who lives nearby, said he was devastated both victims were from China and called for greater protection for delivery riders, who he said were frequently harassed and assaulted in the CBD. “He is here on a working holiday visa, working really hard. He works really hard every day, delivering food for 10 to 12 hours a day,” Shou said.
“Jianming was a Melbourne food delivery driver and his family’s sole provider. Those who knew him describe him as hard-working, gentle and warm-hearted. He sent money back to China to support them every month,” Cai said.
Platform Response
HungryPanda issued a statement saying it was looking for the man’s family. “Once confirmed, we will do everything possible to provide full support and assistance to his family,” the company said. “Please accept our deepest condolences to the deceased and our sincere sympathy to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.” The platform told workers to “stay vigilant and prioritise their personal safety at all times.”
Sources
- Delivery rider identified as wife’s calls go unanswered after fatal stabbing
- Melbourne CBD Stabbing: Jianming Feng, 47, Killed After Bicycle Confrontation
- Man arrested as delivery rider ‘stabbed to death’
- Emotions run high in Melbourne’s Chinese community after delivery rider’s CBD death
- Emotions run high in Melbourne’s Chinese community after delivery rider’s CBD death
Photo: Diliff (CC BY 2.5)
