New Windsor Dairy stabbing: Man charged with attack named by police

Two people were badly wounded at Auckland's New Windsor Dairy. Photo / Hayden Woodward

The man charged over the New Windsor Dairy stabbing who died in police custody earlier this month has been named.

He was 24-year-old Mitchell Lam.

Lam had been charged with two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one charge of resisting police.

He had temporarily been granted interim name suppression on October 6, which then lapsed. However, the coroner later made an interim non-publication order further suppressing Lam’s name, which since lapsed at 5pm today.

Police launched an investigation into his death in custody on October 9.

Relieving Auckland City district commander Acting Superintendent Sunny Patel said about 10.56am on October 6 - a day after the brutal attack at the dairy took place - police found the Lam unresponsive in a cell.

Patel said police immediately administered first aid and called an ambulance.

Lam was then transported to Auckland City Hospital but died on October 8, police said.

“A critical incident investigation is now under way, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority [IPCA] has been notified,” Patel said.

As standard procedure, police have also notified WorkSafe of the incident at the Auckland Custody Unit.

A man and a woman were stabbed in the October 5 attack at the New Windsor Dairy and Lotto shop on New Windsor Rd.

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said at the time members of the public helped arrest the man.

Dairy and Business Owners’ Group chairman Sunny Kaushal said then news of the attack was “heartbreaking”.

“We have already had deaths in our industry, and we were fearing more violence because the Government is failing to take any action. New Zealanders are sick and tired of the lawlessness.”