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Family and friends of a 21-year-old man who died after being found injured in an alleyway in Sydney have performed the haka in his honour.
Rudolf Carino, known as Roddy, was found in Price Lane at Riverwood with a critical head wound just before 1:00am on Wednesday by a family friend heading to work.
Police said they were notified of the incident by an anonymous tip-off from a person calling from a phone booth nearby.
Mr Carino, who was the father of a three-year-old boy, lived in the Riverwood area, was treated by paramedics before being taken to St George Hospital, where he died a short time later.
The family friend who found him also called triple-0 from the scene and performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
A group of his loved ones gathered to honour him in the alleyway, where police have also set up a crime scene.
Mr Carino's brother Steven Ripley said he was a good man and his death was a tragic loss for the family.
"He was a happy chappy. He was always smiling and up for the good times," Mr Ripley said.
"He didn't deserve this. If anyone knows anything please come forward and say something."
Inspector Scott Bingham said homicide detectives were now investigating Mr Carino's death.
"We are treating this death as suspicious," Inspector Bingham said.
Mr Ripley said his brother had never been in trouble and that he was a loving and caring father to his son and always tried to do the best for his family.
The family were questioning why the attack had happened, he said.
Family friend Elise Perini urged the attacker to hand himself in.
"Whoever did this they should come forward, get this over and done this.
"He was a good boy, just lovable."
Samantha Mussett, who went to school with Mr Carino at Peakhurst High School, said she could not understand how someone could have attacked him and left him to die.
Inspector Bingham said Mr Carino was not known to police.
"There is nothing to indicate that he was connected with any other incidents.
"We would be calling at this stage for that person that made the phone call from the telephone box, if they could re-contact police and assist us with our enquiries."
He said police had fingerprinted the phone box and were canvassing nearby businesses for CCTV footage which could help them identify the caller.
Inspector Bingham said police had been speaking to two witnesses who found Mr Carino in the laneway.
"Those witnesses actually walked down the lane and came across the male as he was lying on the road way," he said.
"We're aware that one of those witnesses actually assisted in first aid at the time and the other one made a separate phone call to triple-0."
He said police were searching the local area as part of their investigation.
Topics: murder-and-manslaughter, riverwood-2210
First posted