At 12:47 p.m. yesterday, 65-year-old Russell Frajman encountered an unexpected visitor—a man clad in high-visibility clothing—inside his pharmacy on Fitzroy Street in St Kilda.
Disturbing CCTV footage captured the moments leading up to an unprovoked assault, showing Frajman in conversation with the individual before being suddenly punched in the face.
The attack left Frajman with bruises, facial cuts, and damaged glasses.
The assailant, whose identity remains unknown, promptly fled the scene after the incident.
Russell’s wife, Charlotte, shared with 3AW that they endured a five-hour wait for authorities to respond following the attack.
Reflecting on their extensive experience, she remarked that after more than 35 years in business, they believed they had “seen everything.”
”The last 12 to 18 months have just been diabolical and there are zero police,” Charlotte told 3AW.
‘To wait more than five hours after reporting on Triple-Zero an actual assault of a community pharmacist… and to have followed up with two phone calls directly to St Kilda police to say, ‘What’s going on? How long are we meant to wait?’.”
An investigation into the assault is under way.
A spokesperson for Victoria Police said police units were “tied up with multiple incidents” including arresting a drug dealer at the time of Frajman’s assault.
“Officers contacted the victim via phone to explain the situation and initiate reports before being able to attend,” the spokesperson said.
“Police continue to investigate the incident and are attending the pharmacy today to offer support to the victim.”
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