Tributes Flow for Pellegrini's Co-Owner Sisto Malaspina

On Friday, Melbourne came to a standstill as details of a major incident in Bourke Street emerged.

A car was alight on the northern strip of Bourke Street, and a man was shot by police after allegedly stabbing at least three people. A Victoria Police spokesperson told Broadsheet a man was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital under guard in a critical condition.

At the time, the spokesperson advised a "small number of people" had been attacked. On Saturday, the Guardian revealed that Sisto Malaspina, co-owner of Melbourne institution Pellegrini's, had been fatally stabbed. Two other stabbing victims are in hospital.

The Age reports the iconic Bourke Street cafe Malaspina had run with long-time friend and business partner Nino Pangrazio since 1974 is currently closed as staff and customers pay tribute. Flowers adorn the front windows.

Pangrazio told the Age he was shocked by Malaspina's death. “I feel terrible. We’ve been business partners since 1974 and we were friends for 10 years before that," he said. “He was just so happy-go-lucky and always with a smile. We hardly had a cross word in the whole time we worked together. Just devastated.”

Tributes from friends, industry and Pellegrini's customers continue to flow online.