The NT government will rush through urgent bail laws amid community anger over the fatal stabbing of a Darwin shopkeeper.

A teenager, 18, who was out on bail handed himself in to police after the attack on 71-year-old grocer Linford Feick.

Feick allegedly confronted a thief at the Nightcliff Friendly Grocer on Wednesday afternoon and told him to return items taken from the store.

He was allegedly stabbed and police allege the suspect fled on a bicycle after the incident about 5.15pm.

Shoppers provided first aid before emergency services arrived, but he died at the scene.

The teenager — who turned 18 days ago — was taken into custody after handing himself in shortly after midnight, but has not yet been charged.

Police confirmed he was on bail for “serious matters” with conditions to remain in a remote Northern Territory community.

The victim’s wife Margaret said she was reeling from the death of her soulmate.

“I am sitting here at 3am too broken to go to sleep because my life has been shattered,” she wrote on social media.

“My beautiful husband of 51 years was stolen from me, his children and his seven grandchildren.

“This is so hurtful. An 18 year old kid has (allegedly) done this in a dreadful moment of anger because he was confronted with theft.

“The trauma it has caused to the beautiful staff who we love as family, the trauma to our beautiful customers, Linford worked so sincerely to maintain the community vibe with smiles, trust and humanity.

“A beautiful man, a true gentleman, and my soulmate. Gone forever. God Bless Him. RIP my darling man.”

The Darwin community has been rocked by the alleged stabbing of Linford Feick. Photo: Facebook

On Thursday afternoon, NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said changes to the bail laws would be introduced to parliament next week.

“There’s clearly an issue when it comes to bail,” said Finocchiaro.

“We’re making sure we taking strong action right now.

“With these changes, we should see less people bailed. If you do the wrong thing, we’ll find a bed for you in a prison.

“We are ready and prepared. We will find a bed for people who need one in a prison because we’d rather them in a prison than on the streets committing crime.”

The tragedy comes about two years after a Darwin bottle shop worker was killed by a man out on bail, prompting a tightening of NT laws.

“When this incident occurred and the male offender had left the location, the Northern Territory police surged with all available resources … into the Darwin community,” Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst told reporters on Thursday.

“The family of the person was located, and through that ongoing engagement … that person handed himself into police, which is a good outcome for the community.”

Police said the 18-year-old had been granted bail in April, but did not disclose the charges.

“The matters are serious enough for the youth to appear before the Supreme Court, but I’m not going to go into detail,” Wurst said.

The teenager was bailed to a remote community “across the Top End” but did not have an electronic monitoring bracelet.

“One of the charges that will be considered will be in relation to the breach of bail for that particular matter,” Wurst said.

NT laws were tightened after a man on bail fatally stabbed bottle shop worker Declan Laverty in 2023.

“It is devastating that we are at this point again,” Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro posted on social media.

She later said the police presence would be ramped up after “losing yet another member of our community to crime”.

“There is a family who’ve lost a husband, a brother, a father, an uncle, a loved one, a community who’s lost a friendly face, someone they love to go and see every day,” she said.

“I want to assure Territorians today that there will be very high visibility policing … particularly in retail.”

The tragedy made its way into the federal election campaign.

“To see someone going to a place of work where they should feel safe and they end up being stabbed to death, that is something that is condemned by every right-thinking Australian,” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told reporters.

-with AAP