Police are seeking information about two people at the scene of a random attack on a dog walker at Bexley Reserve, Christchurch. Photo / George Heard
A police detective has appealed to the public, asking for information on the whereabouts of two people, who were at the scene of Monday’s assault at Christchurch’s Bexley Reserve.
The manhunt continues after the random stabbing of a man as he walked his dog early yesterday. He was found critically injured at the reserve’s entrance after his dog had returned home without him.
The man was stabbed multiple times and discovered by members of his family, Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves said.
Reeves has now put out a call for information on a man and a woman who were seen leaving the scene on Pages Rd, at around 5.10am.
The man is described as being possibly of Māori or Pasifika descent, of slim build, and approximately 176cm tall.
He has short dark hair, believed to be in his 20s and was wearing an orange high-vis top, a hat and shorts.
Meanwhile, the woman is described as being possibly of Māori or Pasifika descent, of solid build and approximately the same height as the man - 176cm tall, with long dark hair.
She is believed to have been wearing a white long dress at the time of the incident.
“We are interested in the vehicle and in identifying the occupants, as we believe they may be able to assist our investigation team,” said Reeves.
“We urge anyone with information to please get in touch with Police.”
Reeves thanked members of the public who have come forward with information so far, police inquiries are ongoing.
“We know there are people in the community with information related to the serious assault who are yet to come forward - we urge them to do the right thing and contact Police,” she said.
“Anyone who withholds information from Police in relation to the ongoing investigation or is found to be assisting the primary persons responsible could end up facing serious charges themselves.”
This morning the police forensics area has been removed and Pages Rd is open for traffic but there is a lack of pedestrians and dog walkers at Bexley Reserve following yesterday’s assault.
‘Hopefully, they catch the offender’
One dog walker was spotted shortly after 7am at the edge of the reserve.
The walker said the perception of the park will likely change with all the rhetoric around the incident, but he doesn’t believe it’s fair.
”There’s nothing wrong with the park, [the attack] just happened to be outside it,” he said.
The walker comes to the reserve often, he said you’ll have up to six people at a time walking their dogs at the reserve after 6am - although that’s not the case today.
”Hopefully they catch the offender, you don’t expect to take your dog for a walk and get stabbed.”
Residents lock their doors
Pages Rd residents will be locking up their houses and are considering moving after yesterday’s assault on a random dog walker, as the offender is yet to be located.
Kilisi Fidow said police were flying up and down the road as he left his house at 6.30am yesterday morning.
As he lives across the reserve, his house was inside the police cordon but only learned details of the attack this morning.
”I’ve lived here over 2 years and never seen this stuff,” he said.
Fidow said people will be locking their doors and windows knowing the offender is still yet to be caught.
”I’m thinking of moving now, we have nephews and nieces, little ones that we take to the park. I don’t think we’ll be going back there.”
Other residents, like Jigyasa, aren’t jumping to such conclusions - she said the area has always felt safe and won’t mind going back again.
”It’s a really nice area for walking your dog and it’s great for people to be there in the morning, but this sort of incident will make people worried,” she said.”It’s a first time incident so hopefully this sort of thing doesn’t happen again.”
Police following strong leads
Police say detectives are following strong leads, and following a number of inquiries to determine the location of the attack, and the events leading up to it.
Reeves said evidence did not suggest the attack was targeted.
They still want to hear from anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area, from 4am yesterday.
Motorists with dashcams who were in the area of Pages Rd or Anzac Drive around this time were also urged to review their footage.
“You may feel like the information you have is not significant, however, it could be the missing piece of the puzzle Police need to make an arrest.”
Dog walker came across the scene
The Herald spoke with a local dog-walker who had left the house with her dog for her usual morning walk, shortly after 5.45am.
At the time, she said, no emergency service vehicles were in sight on Pages Rd, Bexley.
Walking past the main entrance of the reserve, the woman noticed a car pulled into the entrance of the park and two people - one lying on the ground, the other appearing to comfort him.
There were two dogs in the car at this stage.
“She kept saying ‘it’s okay, it’s okay,’ - initially I thought it was personal, so I planned on doing my walk which takes 15 minutes and checking on them when I got back,” she said.
The woman never got the opportunity. Her walk took the typical 15 minutes and when she returned, emergency services had arrived.
Two ambulance units and police were at the entrance of the reserve shortly after 6am.
A police officer approached the woman and demanded she didn’t come through the street. She made her way home, only to learn through the news what had taken place minutes before she’d made her way down Pages Rd.
A police cordon was put in place on Pages Rd between Portchester and Farnborough streets, it remained right into the afternoon as a black police tent was set up and forensics combed the bushes near the reserve’s entrance.
The woman, whom the Herald spoke to, said dog walking is a big deal in the area, with Bexley Reserve boasting a popular dog park that is used by many.
On average, according to the woman, there would be about six people walking their dogs during the time of the incident - which she said was likely the reason police put the call out to avoid the road.
“When my husband heard the news he said to me ‘you’re not walking the dog there anymore’,” she said.
“Because this is one of the early morning dog walkers [who was attacked], everybody is scared. There possibly will be a different perception of the park after this.”
The incident shocked other locals who live in the area. Terri Stuart, who lives further down on Pages Rd, said she’d sometimes go for walks at Bexley Reserve around dinner time.
“I’ve lived here two years and always felt it’s a safe community. Maybe it was just a freak accident,” she said.
Warren and Andria Stent live near the park and said the news of the random assault was particularly concerning given Andria goes for walks around the area regularly.
“We’ve always found this to be a particularly safe area,” Warren said. “It’s reasonably busy at the park, but apart from traffic noise we never have any trouble.”
“I just hope somebody saw the attacker and can identify him,” the dog-walking witness said.
“It’s not normal, I don’t understand it.”
Police are urging anyone with information to call 105 and quote the file number 221114/3294.
Information could also be reported online at www.police.govt.nz/use-105, using “Update My Report”, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.