Actor Russell Crowe has led tributes to a much-loved cafe owner who was killed when a knifeman went on a stabbing rampage in a terror attack in central Melbourne. Sisto Malaspina, 74, was killed by a man who set fire to a truck laden with gas cylinders just outside Pellegrini’s café before stabbing him and two other people. His business partner Nino Pangrazio confirmed to local newspaper The Age that he had been killed in the attack and said: “Many, many tears have been shed.” Many of the popular cafe’s customers including Gladiator star Crowe paid tribute to Mr Malaspina who took over the restaurant with Mr Pangrazio in 1974. He said: “I’ve been going to Pellegrini’s since 1987. Never been to Melbourne without dropping in on my man.” Crowe went on: “My sweet, loyal friend, stabbed in the street by a mad man.” Other friends described Mr Malaspina as “the happiest person you could imagine” and “bon vivant”. Floral tributes have been left outside the cafe on Bourke Street. It is reported that Mr Malaspina approached his killer and offered to help him. The suspect who has been named as Hassain Khalif Shire Ali, 30, launched his attack at 4.20pm on Friday. Police shot the suspect after he lunged at officers and tried to stab them. He died of his gunshot injuries in hospital. Police confirmed it was terror-related and that the culprit was known to officers. Police said Shire Ali’s Australian passport was cancelled in 2015 after an intelligence report that he planned to travel to Syria, but… [Read full story]
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