The Salvation Army says the fatal stabbing of a homeless man in Melbourne’s CBD shows that more needs to be done to help the city's forgotten people.
Wayne Perry, known as ‘Mousey’, was found stabbed at Enterprize Park at the north bank of the Yarra River about 5.30am on Sunday.
Mousey was taken to hospital but did not survive.
Major Brendan Nottle of the Salvation Army told Justin Smith he had been left deeply saddened by Mousey's death.
WATCH: Major Brendan Nottle of the Salvation Army on the tragic death of 'Mousey'
He met Mousey when he was just 16 when Major Nottle was managing a youth homelessness refuge.
He said he had become “like family” to him.
“(We’ve been thinking) in terms of what more could we have done for him?” he said.
“But these personal issues were the things that caused him to say to us ‘look, it’s fantastic you’re offering me this accommodation but I’m just not ready and I think I might mess up and I don’t want to do that’.
“He was an honest, pretty loyal sort of guy, and he just said ‘I’d rather stay here, sort myself out and then when I’m ready I’ll come back and talk to you guys’.”
In a sad coincidence, Mousey, 42, told The Age just days ago living on the street was frightening.
“You have to sleep with one eye open because you don’t know who’s going to bash you or stab you or rob you,” he said.
Major Nottle said these comments were “almost a premonition”.
“And I think the other thing about Mouse too, was he was always up for a bit of action, a bit of excitement. I think sometimes that tended to get him into a bit of strife and that may have led to his death,” he said.
"We're dealing with people with really serious, complex mental health issues and they just fall through the gaps. They don't get the support that they need."
According to The Age, Paul, 39, said a skinny young man with a shaved head had come down to their camp in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The man was reportedly dressed in a black hoodie and leather jacket and was ranting about vampires and werewolves.
The investigation continues.
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