A BWS worker, 20, who was allegedly knifed by a customer over a bottle of alcohol texted his father to say ‘love you, been stabbed’ moments before he died.
Declan Laverty was minutes away from finishing his shift at the Airport Tavern BWS drive-through bottle shop in Darwin just before 9pm on Sunday when he refused to serve a 19-year-old male.
The teenager allegedly stabbed Mr Laverty and fled the scene in a blue 2014 Toyota Camry.
Mr Laverty sent his dad a final text message, but was dead when paramedics and officers arrived – despite several attempts by shocked witnesses to try and revive him.
The 19-year-old was arrested by police several hours later and remains in custody.
Police also arrested two others, 15 and 16, in relation to the alleged stabbing, and two other alleged robberies around Darwin earlier in the evening.
Charges are expected to be laid later on Monday.
Mr Laverty’s sister Bridget wrote a tribute on Facebook on Monday: ‘Declan, you were the best brother I could ask for.’
Declan Laverty (left) was allegedly stabbed while working at BWS in Darwin. His sister Bridget Laverty (right) remembered him as ‘the best brother’
‘Your silly laugh your lovingness, your big head will miss you so much my brother, forever 20,’ she said.
A friend said he was ‘shattered’ and called for an end to violence.
‘Fly high my bro. Too young,’ he wrote on Facebook.
‘#puttheknifesdown this has to stop.’
Shocked members of the community also flooded social media with tributes.
One woman said: ‘Everyone has the right to be safe at work and go home to their loved ones at the end of their shift.’
Another wrote: ‘This is so awful. Just doing his job, following the RSA law and doesn’t get to go home?’
‘Sending love to his family, friends and workmates.’
A second person is also assisting police with inquiries, Acting Northern Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Danny Bacon told Darwin radio station Mix 104.9.
He described the alleged attack as a ‘senseless loss of life.’
‘That investigating is taking priority this morning,’ he added.
Mr Laverty (pictured) was dead when paramedics and officers arrived, despite several attempts by shocked witnesses to try and revive him
Police are expected to provide more details later on Monday as investigators continue their inquiries.
A man who was among the first on the scene and tried to save the worker’s life described the worker as a ‘beautiful boy’.
It’s understood his distraught family members rushed to the scene shortly after the incident.
The bottle shop is part of Airport Tavern, a popular pub described on its Facebook page as the heart of the community, which Jingili residents regard as their local.
Both the tavern and bottle shop remained cordoned off as a crime scene on Monday morning, with several police vehicles onsite.
Mr Laverty’s death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from the hospitality industry and Endeavour Group, which owns the tavern and bottle shop.
‘Our thoughts are with the team member’s family, friends and loved ones,’ Endeavour Group chief executive Steve Donohue said.
‘We thank the emergency service workers who attended the scene.
‘We will offer counselling and support to all our team members in Darwin across BWS and ALH Hotels, and the team member’s family.’
The Airport Tavern and BWS bottle shop in Darwin remained a crime scene on Monday morning following the tragic death of Mr Laverty
The tragedy has also saddened federal Senator Jacinta Price, whose Darwin office neighbours the tavern and bottle shop.
‘This is very hard to come to terms with. The victim of this horrendous crime is the same age as one of my sons,’ she said.
‘We cannot continue to experience such horrific and dehumanising crime and violence. The Territory government maybe celebrating a bi-election win but the people of the NT continue to suffer.
‘I can only image the pain the family of this young man is suffering. No more crime no more violence it has to stop!’
‘It’s the devastating message no parent, sibling, or loved one can imagine hearing & the grief will be immense.
NT Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison also described the incident as a tragedy as she expressed her condolences to the victim’s family, friends and colleagues.
MP for Blain Mark Turner added: ‘As a father, even trying to imagine the hurt & loss brings me to tears.
‘To the Northern Territory Police, thank you for responding so swiftly. St John Ambulance, thank you for trying to save lives every day. I know you’ll be hurting too.’
