Horror moment woman is stabbed by stranger as she walks to work

A woman was stabbed in the chest while walking to work in a seemingly unprovoked attack on October 2. CCTV footage captured the terrifying moment that Wan Lai, 26, was struck by a knife near the intersection of Little Bourke Street and Spencer Street in the CBD district of Melbourne, Australia. At around 7.40am, a video shows a person running up behind the sushi chef before pulling out a knife.

The woman then looks her in the eye and stabs Ms Lai once on the right side of her chest. The alleged attacker, dressed in dark clothing and carrying an item in her other arm, then fled the scene. Bystanders who witnessed the horrific attack rushed to help the victim moments after she fell to her knees.

Ms Lai pulled out her phone and clutched her bleeding stab wound on the pavement. She suffered a punctured lung from the unprovoked attack.

Emergency services attended the scene and paramedics rushed the victim to hospital. After the attack, the suspect was caught on other CCTV cameras running down various side streets.

Ms Lai was hospitalised for three days after being stabbed, it is understood, while police searched for the suspect.

A police spokesperson said the victim's injuries were non-life-threatening.

They said: "Police conducted an extensive search of the area, arrested a woman and seized a knife.

"A 32-year-old Melbourne woman was charged with intentionally causing injury and committing an indictable offence while on bail."

The stabbing resulted in Ms Lai suffering a hemopneumothorax, which causes blood and air to build up around the lung, making it hard to breathe.

Her sister, Ivana, told 7News: "She turned to her right this time and there was someone there - but what if she turned to her left? It could have been her heart."

She added that Ms Lai does not "dare to go out" following the attack, and has not been able to work since.

"She can't stand people walking behind her and keeps looking around nervously," Ivana said.

The alleged attacker has been remanded in custody until her next appearance at Melbourne Magistrates Court.