Shoppers watch in horror as a father-of-three stabbed to death outside Adelaide shopping centre

The 25-year-old victim was stabbed outside the Elizabeth shopping centre in Adelaide's north. Photo / 9 News

A father-of-three has been stabbed to death in front of horrified shoppers as his alleged attacker flees with a woman and a baby in a pram.

The 25-year-old victim was stabbed outside the Elizabeth shopping centre in Adelaide's north on Thursday evening, shortly before 7pm.

Witnesses say the suspect fled the scene on foot with a woman pushing a pram with an infant child, the Daily Mail reports.

A manhunt is underway.

Police are treating the stabbing as a targeted attack, and do not believe it was random.

The victim, from Blakeview, was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a critical condition after being stabbed in the chest, but subsequently died of his injuries.

Witness Will Collins told 9 News there were police officers "everywhere" and roads were blocked off during late night shopping as the incident unfolded.

"It was definitely scary," the witness said.

"I heard screams. It was absolutely crazy."

A relative of the victim told 9 News the man "was a loving father of three young children".

The suspect is described as being of caucasian appearance, aged in his late 20s, between 170 and 180cm tall with short brown hair and blue eyes.