A 17‑year‑old boy has been stabbed in the back after a violent confrontation spilled off a bus, leaving the teen wailing in pain as he ran for help through a quiet neighbourhood.

Police said the boy was attacked by a man who followed him off a bus on Crittenden Rd in Adelaide’s west about 10pm on Sunday.

WATCH ABOVE: Neighbours in shock over alleged stabbing of teenager in Adelaide

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Moments later, witnesses reported hearing “smashing, yelling and screaming” as the teen fled.

Neighbour Bec Jones described the chaotic scene to 7NEWS.

“it was like a noise we had never heard before and I said ‘something has happened’.” she said.

She later described the sounds as “gutting, absolutely gutting… it was disgusting.”

Resident Aron Golley said it “sounded like something absolutely violent happened”.

The injured boy eventually reached Young St, banging on a stranger’s door and pleading for help. A resident took him in and assisted until paramedics arrived.

He was later hospitalised suffering serious but non‑life‑threatening injuries.

Police door‑knocked the area on Monday, searching for CCTV as the attacker fled the scene and remains on the run.

Anyone for information is urged to contact police. They do not believe the incident was random.