Flaxmere community rallies after homicide

Hastings District councillor Henare O'keefe believes the solution to the tragedies that take place begins in the home. Photo / File.

The Flaxmere community has been urged to "rise up" after a slaying in the village.

The call comes after a man found with critical injuries died outside the Flaxmere Tavern on Sunday night despite the efforts of emergency services.

The tragedy sparked a groundswell of support and rallying sentiment on social media yesterday.

A local on a Flaxmere Community Watch Facebook page said it was time "to rise up Flaxmere", and others were wary of the negative perception of their community after the death. One local posted on social media that it was time to "take our community back and make it safe" and another noted "enough wounded whanau out there have had enough".

"United we stand, divided we fall," they said.

Hastings district councillor and Hawke's Bay DHB member Jacoby Poulain said she knew "Flaxmere is a caring and resilient community that often finds its greatest strength supporting each other in difficult times".

She said at this stage she did not intend to call a public meeting, but was happy to work with Council and other agencies to support.

"I am happy to support the public should they wish to pursue this or other avenues that may help the family of the victim and the community as a whole," she said.

Hastings District councillor Henare O'Keefe said the death hadn't helped Flaxmere's reputation.

"It is a loving, caring, beloved suburb and that is the way we should look at it. Don't be lulled into the thinking that it is a bad place because it is not.

"It is great that support is there and obviously our hearts go out to the families of the person whose life has been taken," O'Keefe said.

He believed preventing future tragedies began in the home, adding that the community needed to "gather our families, support one another and love each other".

"I understand fully the protestation, angst and anger that is permeating out there but at the end of the day you have got to go back into the home and restore the home.

He urged people to keep supporting and encouraging one another.