The Glen Innes community is reeling after two people were stabbed on an Auckland bus and one later died.
A 59-year-old man died after an alleged “unprovoked attack” on the No 76 bus as it travelled from Glen Innes towards Ōrākei on Monday night.
Police believe the alleged offender got on the bus at 7.53pm on Apirana Ave.
“The first victim boarded the bus at 7.56pm and travelled a short distance before moving to exit the bus at 7.58pm,” Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said.
“The only other passenger aboard initiated an attack on the victim, before he could exit the bus near Fenchurch St in Glen Innes.
“An ambulance... transported the man to hospital, where he later died from those injuries.”
Baldwin said the second unprovoked assault began when the suspected offender approached the victim at the rear of the bus.
“The offender initiated a fight and quickly produced a knife and assaulted the victim,” he said.
“After a short confrontation, the second victim managed to flee from the bus, along with another passenger and the bus driver near the bus stop at Coates Ave and Kepa Rd.”
The alleged attacker got off the bus about this time and was last seen fleeing on foot.
The second victim was taken to Auckland City Hospital with serious injuries.
A bus was seized on Nehu St, Ōrākei, as part of the police investigation.
A man, 36, is now in police custody after his arrest yesterday afternoon in the Auckland CBD.
“Information was received from the public, subsequent to our earlier appeal today, which indicated our suspect was in the CBD this afternoon,” Baldwin said yesterday.
“Police staff flooded the lower downtown area, quickly gaining observations of the man.”
Baldwin said he was quickly and safely taken into custody at the corner of Commerce and Fort Sts.
The 36-year-old was due to appear in the Auckland District Court today.
The man killed was “loved by the community”, said a local, who wished to be anonymous.
The local said the wounded man got off the bus outside the Fenchurch shops and sat on a set of blue pallets.
In a video, the victim could be seen calmly walking, clutching his chest, before he sits and a woman rushes to him and starts to rally people to help.
A man brings towels to try to stem the flow of blood.
“It’s really sad. People are really, really sad,” the local said.
He was shocked the man, who was not one to start fights with people, could be the victim of such a violent act.
He also said he did not want the community to get a bad rap, especially after violence in the area in recent days.
“These are good people who live around here, families. This isn’t us.”
An Auckland Transport spokesperson said they were assisting police and providing support to the bus driver.
“We are very saddened to hear about these incidents and our thoughts are with the victims, their families and our bus operator who was present.
“Our buses all have CCTV cameras on board and we are working closely with police.”
Josephine Bartley, ward councillor for Maungakiekie Tāmaki, urged anyone with information to contact police.
Bartley posted a video on social media while taking the 76 bus and said AT officers had been deployed on buses.
“I think people are wanting reassurance that it’s safe to get back on the bus,” Bartley said.
“I won’t lie, I am looking carefully at who’s boarding the bus.”
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