Several people have been injured in what is believed to be a massive stabbing on the north coast of Auckland.
Four members of the public have been stabbed in what police say was a “random” and “isolated” incident on the north coast of Auckland, where a woman says she had to run screaming after a man chased her. from the beach with a “big knife”. .
Police said the offender, who is in hospital after suffering moderate injuries, was arrested by the public, preventing the attack from being “much worse”.
Superintendent Naila Hassan, commander of the Waitematā district, said it would have been an extremely traumatic event for the victims involved.
The offender was a local person and has been arrested. He had stabbed four members of the audience who had suffered moderate injuries at random, before being arrested by a person with a crutch.
“This was an isolated incident,” he said.
“This criminal was on the move, he was walking, he started in Murrays Bay [where he stabbed members of the public]and continued walking to Mairangi Bay.
“A few members of the public followed him and finally one of them intervened.
“It could have been a lot worse and that’s why I really need to acknowledge the courage of those members of the public who intervened to bring this to a conclusion.”
Members of the public who had acted or helped had “acted bravely,” Hassan said.
The offender had “a fairly large knife,” he said.
This was a random attack and there was no indication that it was a hate crime, Hassan said.
“I really have to acknowledge the courage of the members of the public who took part,” he said.
“It was a random attack.”
The offender was in hospital and was slightly injured. He will face charges, he confirmed.
Witnesses speak of terrifying details
A witness, who did not want to be identified, lives near the beach and had stepped on it to accompany his dog for a walk on his usual route when he noticed a man near the water.
He turned and began to approach her and the woman at first thought she “wanted to chat”.
“I was wearing headphones and I went to get the headphones off to talk to him because that was what I thought he wanted,” he said. NZ Herald.
However, he said there was something about the man that put the woman on the edge.
Then “he started running towards me.”
According to local media, a large kitchen knife was found at the scene where several people were stabbed and witnesses say people were screaming and were being stabbed at random in this morning’s incident.
Issac Hong, an employee of CafeBayBay in Murrays Bay, said Things there was a woman stabbed at the bus stop in front of her cafeteria.
Hong said the alleged stabbing man ran to Murrays Bay Beach and attacked a “big Asian couple.”
Hong said witnesses in the area told him that the alleged stabber ran into Mairangi Bay and was chased by construction workers from a nearby workplace before police arrested the alleged attacker.
Police confirmed that people were injured in an incident in Murrays Bay, but it was too early to say how they had been injured. NZ Herald reports.
A resident of Mairangi Bay says he witnessed a man, who appeared to be about 20 years old, holding a 20-centimeter knife, five men watching him as they carried weapons as they walked down his street.
The resident, who wanted to be identified only as Steve, said he was gardening outside his Montrose Terrace home when he saw the gunman being escorted down the road to the boardwalk.
The alleged offender appeared to be at a certain level of anxiety, Steve told the Herald.
The people around the man seemed unfamiliar, he said. As they advanced along the path, the group told members of the audience to stand side by side and make their way.
Two men hit the man carrying a knife, once in the leg and once in the head, causing the man to fall to the ground, Steve said.
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“The man, more or less lying down, I know he burst into tears, he could be heard crying. I think he noticed. “
Steve was full of praise for the group of men who had surrounded the alleged offender: “They were so good they should be praised.”
Another witness said three people had been stabbed and three ambulances and three police cars were at the scene.
“Emergency services are witnessing an incident in Murrays Bay where it is understood several people were injured,” a police spokeswoman said. “At this early stage we are still working to confirm the exact number and nature of the injuries.”
Police have arrested a person, who is assisting him in his investigation.
Traffic is being diverted and police have asked people to avoid the area.
Police will hold a media conference today at 2.45pm local time.
North Shore MP Simon Watts said he was aware there had been a “stabbing”.
“Many people have been injured and my thoughts are with them and their families,” he said.
“Thanks to the police, the ambulance and the first responders for supporting our community today.”
East Coast Bays MP Eric Stanford said it was “extremely annoying to hear about the tragic stabbing”.
“My heart is with all the victims and their families,” the national deputy said.