Witnesses sought after teen found dead in inner city

File photo / Dean Purcell

Mystery surrounds the death of a young man whose body was found at an inner-city apartment complex in Wellington, with residents saying they heard nothing out of the ordinary the night before.

Emergency services were called to the Soho Apartments in Egmont St in Wellington's central business district about 8.30am yesterday where the man's body was found. Police said the man had yet to be formally identified. Ambulance services yesterday told Newstalk ZB he was likely to have been in his late teens.

Wellington police and forensic experts carried out a scene examination yesterday but police would not reveal how the man had died, whether he was injured or if his death was suspicious.

People living in the apartment complex contacted by the Herald yesterday reported hearing nothing abnormal for a Saturday night. They woke to find the police cordon sealing off their street, a few minutes walk from Cuba St and Courtenay Place.

One man said residents in the block were used to rowdy late-night revellers shouting loudly and waking people up in the well-known shortcut.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said a large group yesterday performed a karakia as the young man's body was removed.

Detective Inspector Paul Basham of Wellington CIB said a post mortem examination would be carried out today.

He urged anyone who may have seen or heard anything on Saturday night in the vicinity of Egmont, Ghuznee or Dixon Sts to phone police on the Crimestoppers free phone line, 0800 555 111.