Christchurch stabbing: Residents, city leaders in shock after fatal attack on woman

A community is reeling after a mother walking home from work was stabbed to death in a "horrific and senseless" random attack on a quiet suburban Christchurch street.

The woman, in her 50s, was stabbed while walking in Cheyenne St, Sockburn, after getting off the bus home from work on Saturday afternoon.

Despite emergency responders' efforts, she died at the scene.

A 37-year-old man known to police was found nearby by officers and has been charged with the woman's murder, Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said.

He will appear in court today.

It is understood the man was receiving mental health care from Canterbury District Health Board. The DHB and Health Minister Andrew Little's office declined to comment yesterday.

The woman's death was "horrific and senseless", local MP Megan Woods said.

"My thoughts and love are with the family and those close to the victim", the Wigram MP said.

"I understand how terrifying senseless and random acts of violence will be for us all, but I have been reassured that an arrest has been made and the community are not subject to further threat.

"I will stay in communication with the police."

The woman's name is yet to be released, with some family still be notified of her death, Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said on Sunday. Photo / Kurt Bayer

Two people were initially arrested following the attack, which occurred at 4.20pm, but one was later released by police after being found to be a relative of the man subsequently charged with murder.

Christchurch residents' hearts went out to the family and friends of the woman "killed in such a senseless, violent attack", the city's mayor Lianne Dalziel said.

"A crime of this nature will have a devastating impact on the community as well, and they too will want answers as to how and why this happened."

It was "scary" something like Saturday's incident could happen so close to home, one resident said.

Isaiah Loh, who lives on Carbine Place about 500m from where the woman died, heard emergency services' sirens but didn't find out the details of the tragedy until later.

"After living here for so many years, I could not believe something like this could happen in this area."

The area was peaceful and ethnically diverse, and an act of violence was something "furthest from anyone's mind", Loh said.

"You've got Indians, Filipinos, Chinese, Malaysians, Kiwis living on the street peacefully, this is not an area where such things happen.

"I'm just so shocked."

Police forensics at the scene yesterday of the fatal stabbing on Cheyenne Street in the Christchurch suburb of Sockburn a day earlier. Photo / Kurt Bayer

Another resident was relieved not to be home when the attack happened.

"It's really upsetting, just the worst thing to happen in your street."

The "horrific, traumatic and random attack" would have a huge impact on the community, and right across New Zealand, said Price.

"I want to reinforce that this was an isolated incident and we are not seeking anyone else."

Other agencies would be involved in the investigation into the death of the woman, a "partner, mother, friend and colleague", because they wanted to get a total picture over the motive, means and manner.

The community, and the family, "need to understand the why" given the random nature of the incident, Price said.

It was the randomness that was "particularly chilling", Waipuna Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board deputy chairwoman Helen Broughton said.

"There seems to be a climate of anger right now … there's a very unsettled climate internationally and then on top of that there's what happened here, around Covid.

"It's been unsettling for people."

She hadn't heard from anyone in the community, but expected they'd be reeling at the brutality of what had happened.

"That community around there is going to be deeply shocked, because you would never expect that happening in that area. It's a very nice suburban area."

She didn't know the woman or her family, but her thoughts were with them, Broughton said.

"What can you say? I deeply sympathise with them. It's a deep trauma. I haven't been through this to imagine what it's like, but it's deeply shocking and people will support them in going through this."

Fellow community board member Gamal Fouda was also thinking of, and praying for, those close to the woman,

"Dealing with horrifying acts of violence is indescribable."