The father of a 20-year-old bottle shop worker stabbed to death at a Darwin tavern revealed the last heartbreaking text the former Queenslander sent.

A young bottleshop attendant who was stabbed to death in Darwin Sunday night sent his father a text message moments before he died.

“Love you, you've been stabbed,” his 20-year-old son Declan Laverty texted him before he was stabbed to death at the Airport Tavern bottle shop in Darwin's northern suburbs on Sunday night.

A 19-year-old man was arrested for the incident.

Sources say Mr. Laverty was stabbed after refusing customer service as the store closed.

On Monday morning, the unnamed father called Darwin radio station Mix 104.9 and spoke to host Katie Woolf.

The father called his son "wonderful, opinionated, strong lad."

“Typical 20-year-old. He arrived in the Territory two years ago. Queensland and Cairns were his hometowns.

“He loved football and music right now. He worked 30-odd hours at the airport pub to release songs. Declan's father reported workplace violence.

“He was screwed a few weeks ago,” he said.

“One of the other staff members was physically attacked and couldn't come back to work."

I've heard they're attacked frequently there. He sought employment. He had enough.

“Everyone's suffering out there. “"Something needs to be done.”

The father, who attended the scene, said he was still grieving his son's death.

“They're minor. His dinner from last night will be in the fridge when I get home. It's hard.”

The comments follow tributes to the young worker and calls for knife violence prevention.

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Declan Laverty, you will be perpetually missed, yet always remembered," the sheriff's specialization said in a proclamation. "We all extend our love, petitions, considerations, and sympathies to Declan Laverty, his companions, and associates."

Declan Laverty cause of death naturally

On Sunday, March 19, 2023, Declan Laverty, an employee at BWS bottle shop who was only 20 years old, passed away in a tragic accident. According to the reports made to the authorities, a customer who was dissatisfied with the price of a bottle of alcohol stabbed him on Sunday.

Declan Laverty, who worked at the Airport Tavern BWS drive-through bottle shop in Darwin on Sunday evening just before 9 o'clock, refused to serve a male customer who was 19 years old.

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