By Anthony Colangelo and Goya Dmytryshchak & Joe Hinchliffe
A coroner's van at the EQ apartment tower on Saturday afternoon.Credit: Paul Jeffers
Friends and family have expressed shock and sadness at the death of a "beautiful" young woman killed in an apparent stabbing after a dispute between two groups of youths in a central Melbourne apartment tower.
The 19-year-old victim from Pakenham was treated by paramedics but died at the scene from her injuries about 5.15am on Saturday.
Twelve youths are assisting police with their inquiries.
Police said a group of African-Australian youths was inside the short-stay rental apartment at the EQ Tower on A'Beckett Street overnight when a second group arrived.
Commander Tim Hansen speaks to the media on Saturday about the teenager's death.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Police do not know if the second group was invited or if they forced their way into the 56th floor of the building where the assault took place.
"A dispute of some nature has occurred, resulting in the victim ... being assaulted," Victoria Police commander Tim Hansen told media on Saturday afternoon.
"A number of persons [from the second group] immediately left that party," he said.
The suspected attacker remains on the run.
Homicide detectives were at the scene on Saturday afternoon removing evidence as forensic experts scoured nearby Anthony Street for clues.
Residents in that street heard shouting around 4am and 5am, as did residents from the EQ Tower.
Federation of South Sudanese Associations in Victoria chairman Kenyatta Dei Wal visited the family of the victim on Saturday.
"Her very young life has been cut short and the community is deeply distraught and in shock," he said."The parents are deeply devastated."
'This isn't a random attack'
Police are confident of finding the attacker. The 12 youths assisting with the investigation are from the first group that was already in the apartment when the second group arrived.
"This, as I understand it, isn't a random attack," Mr Hansen said.
"Whilst this will bring a level of apprehension to members across our community there is some connection between these groups.
Forensic police examine the area surrounding the apartment building.Credit: Paul Jeffers
"Police have arrived to what I am advised was a fairly chaotic scene. There was an [unknown] number of people out the front. It would be fair to say they were quite upset and emotive. However, the police members were never threatened or challenged."
Police believe the groups were known to each other but would not say whether the dispute was pre-existing. Mr Hansen said the victim's family and community were being provided support.
Asked which community the victim and groups of youths came from, he said: "The victim is of African-Australian heritage, and all the persons at the apartment as I am advised were of African-Australian heritage."
Community in shock
The teenager died after an altercation between two groups of youths on the 56th floor.Credit: Paul Jeffers
A friend of the young woman paid tribute to her in a Facebook post.
"Never thought Friday would be my last time on earth seeing you," she wrote.
"You were such a beautiful soul and didn’t deserve any of this ... forever remembering the memories we had. Fly high. RIP my beautiful princess I love you."
The young woman's family is believed to be from South Sudan.
Mr Dei Wal and fellow community leader Ahmed Hassan released a statement on behalf of the community and the victim's family on Saturday afternoon.
"The community is deeply shocked," they said. "We are working closely with the family and police in this difficult time.
"This is a tragic incident that has cut a young person's life short ...
"The family asks for their privacy to be respected.
"Please respect their need for privacy and allow the family to grieve the loss of their loved one.
"We will help law enforcement agencies with their investigation and keep you updated as more information comes to light."
Youth worker calls for calm
Achol Marial, a youth affairs officer for South Sudanese Community Association in Victoria, took to social media to call for calm, urging people not to take revenge for the young woman's death.
"My community, please do not take matters into your own hands," she said in a Facebook post.
"Allow law enforcements to take their course, there is no need to revenge or avenge kill," Ms Marial wrote.
"We need to practise this skill here in Australia if we are to take the same mindset back home. We should also preach the same perspective to our families back home in South Sudan.
"We should stop supporting avenge deaths; I know it's painful, I know it's hard but it doesn't make the situation easier for the family members who are involved. South Sudan is falling apart purely because of this and we need to do better!"
Rowdy parties scare residents
Earlier, residents at the one-year-old apartment tower said loud parties were a common occurrence. A real estate agent who works with properties at the tower said it was made up of about 75 per cent owner-occupiers and 25 per cent short-term rentals, but some residents said the short-term rental percentage was higher.
Sean and his young family have lived in the building since it opened. He described the young woman's death as a "tragedy".
He said residents had been concerned and scared for many months by a series of rowdy parties in the tower's short-term rentals.
"As residents we feel intimidated," Sean said. “What we are seeing increasingly is these parties of youths getting out of control.
"They seem to come and go at short notice and many of them are intoxicated ... as residents we feel intimated that we are unable to ask them to keep the noise down or act in an appropriate fashion.
“This is our home, this is where we live.”
Sean said he and his fellow residents had raised concerns with body corporate but nothing could be done under the law to stop the short-term rentals.
Anthony Street remained closed into Saturday afternoon while a lift in the lobby was also sealed with police tape. A'Beckett Street was reopened at 10.30am.