Fatal paramedic stabbing: Steven Tougher revealed as victim of Campbelltown McDonald’s murder

Devastated colleagues are mourning the death of a paramedic killed while sitting in his own ambulance during a meal break in Sydney.

Steven Tougher, 29, was nearing the end of his shift and was in the back of the ambulance doing paperwork outside the Campbelltown McDonald’s when his attacker pulled open the sliding door and stabbed him multiple times about 5.30am on Friday.

His colleague activated a duress alarm, sparking a police response in which the 21-year-old attacker wielding a knife was tasered and arrested. No charges have been laid.

Mr Tougher, who had been working “his dream job” for about a year, was assisted by witnesses at the scene but died shortly after arriving at Liverpool Hospital.

“The surgeons ... worked valiantly, albeit futile in this instance, to support our colleague,” NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan said.

Mr Tougher’s death comes five weeks after he married his wife in mid-March.

He was also about to go on paternity leave ahead of the birth of their new baby.

The victim’s father said his son always wanted to be a paramedic and had just been posted to south-west Sydney, Dr Morgan said.

“I’ve met with the family and as you can imagine personally, it’s very difficult to process,” he said.

“Any person just going to work to do their job, let alone a paramedic who puts themselves on the line for the community, to not come home is a tragedy.

“He was just so pleased that he was going to be able to stay here with his family, bring up his children.

“This will (take) a very long time for NSW Ambulance and the broader family to recover from.”

NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce battled tears as she told reporters the health system was one big family and “everything conceivable” would be done to support Mr Tougher’s family.

“To lose someone in this way is incomprehensible to us. Our health system has been through a lot over these last three years,” she said.

The man arrested at the scene remained in custody late on Friday as police reviewed CCTV footage and interviewed witnesses. NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the suspect was known to police.

Premier Chris Minns said his heart went out to Mr Tougher’s family and all 4600 paramedics.

“To all paramedics in NSW today who after hearing this news put on their paramedic uniform and serve the people of NSW, thank you,” he said.