Man charged with threats to kill after Bourke Street warning

A 31-year-old homeless man allegedly armed with a knife has been charged with threatening to kill after calling a media outlet and issuing a threat about an incident he alleged would take place in Bourke Street in Melbourne CBD.

Police allege the man called Channel Nine’s Sydney TV newsroom on Thursday evening advising of a threat on Bourke Street, prompting the media outlet to immediately call Crime Stoppers.

Police arrested the man at McDonald’s on Swanston Street about 7.30pm, where they allege he was carrying a knife.

He has since been charged with two counts of making threats to kill, making threats to cause serious injury, carrying a controlled weapon and using a carriage service to menace.

He is due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Victoria Police Inspector Dale Huntington said on Thursday night there was no risk to people in the city.

“At no stage was the public, whether in the CBD or coming into the CBD, at any time threatened … the CBD was quite safe,” he said. Police said they increased patrols in Melbourne after receiving news of the threat.

The City of Melbourne sent a text to its staff shortly before 6pm saying that police had advised of a possible threat occurring on Bourke Street, and urged staff to avoid the area.

Huntington said it was fine for the council to issue a warning but “we will work with council on how that message went out because it wasn’t a policing message to go out to all”.

A spokesperson for the council said it had sent the message following a “credible warning from Victoria Police … as a precaution to protect our staff”.

“We make no apologies for that.”

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.