Over the past 24 hours, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland and Te Tai Tokerau/Northland have seen a spate of serious incidents. Reporter Karanama Ruru takes you through a chaotic day in the upper North Island.
Albany axe attack
Three people suffered injuries after a man, said to be carrying an axe, entered a series of Auckland restaurants and began attacking diners.
A 24-year-old man was arrested at the scene, police said on Tuesday morning.
The incident took place at about 9pm on Corinthian Drive in Albany on Monday night.
Police said they received multiple calls from the Albany area about several patrons of three restaurants being assaulted.
Diners flee an Albany restaurant, one using furniture to defend himself, after a man attacked people with an axe.
A staff member at one of the restaurants, who didn’t want to be named, said it was horrible.
“A man entered the restaurant with no sign of anger on his face. Suddenly, he took a hammer-like thing out and attacked people sitting at a table.
“Some people ran towards the kitchen and we had no clue how to help them.
“I never saw anything like this ever in my life.”
Waitematā police’s acting detective inspector Timothy Williams said: “Upon arrival, a 24-year-old male was arrested at the scene and is due to appear in the North Shore District Court this morning, charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,”
One person was seriously injured and taken to Auckland Hospital while two others are in a stable condition in North Shore Hospital.
Body found in Half Moon Bay
A forensics team was working through an east Auckland property after a person was found dead on Monday afternoon.
Pictures from the scene show several police staff in white boiler suits getting ready to enter the house, just after 9.30am on Tuesday morning.
On Monday night, police said they were speaking with a person on Casuarina Rd after one person was found dead.
Lawrence Smith/Stuff
Police and forensics attend the scene of a possible homicide at 66 Casuarina Road in Half Moon Bay, Auckland.
A Stuff reporter at the scene on Monday night said two people were escorted by police out onto the street and into a police car.
Police were walking door-to-door talking to neighbours or people approaching the cordon.
The road was closed between Liam and Medina Places and cordons around the scene had been put up, police said.
On Tuesday morning, Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said investigations continued.
A scene examination is under way at the property and cordons remain in place.
A scene guard will remain at the address today and through the night until a post-mortem is complete.
Whangārei homicide
A homicide investigation has been launched in Whangārei after a person was stabbed on Monday evening.
Police were called to a property on Anzac Rd, in Morningside, at 5.30pm, where a man was found with a stab wound.
Police detective inspector Bridget Doell said the alleged offender had fled before they arrived.
The victim was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but has since died, they said.
Denise Piper/Stuff
Forensic investigators arrive. A resident has been told sheâs not allowed into her flat while they work.
“The man’s whānau have been advised and they are understandably distraught at what has occurred.”
While the alleged offender has not been found, police said they made significant progress overnight.
“Please be rest assured we are doing everything we can to locate the person responsible and hold them to account.
”We will look to provide these details in due course.”
This was not the first homicide investigation to hit the north this year.
In late May, Kaikohe woman Linda Woods was killed in her own home while defending her whānau from an alleged attacker.
Earlier that month, two children were killed in Ruakaka, with a woman facing murder charges over the incident.
North Shore Hospital locked down
North Shore Hospital was locked down as a precaution on Monday evening, after an incident where a man made verbal threats before leaving the area.
At 7.15pm, police told Stuff they had found the man who allegedly made the threats.
Chris McKeen/Stuff
North Shore Hospital in Takapuna was put into lockdown on Monday.
“The man is assisting with our enquiries and no charges have been laid at this time,” a police spokesperson said.
Earlier on Monday evening, police said there had been no injuries in connection with the incident.
