Whānau posted a moving tribute online to the man - the eldest of five siblings and whose mother passed away in 2015.
They said it was with a “great deep sadness” that they had to announce his ‘tragic’ passing. They expressed the depths of their love and how much he will be missed.
Police have not formally released any details surrounding the incident but a source alleged the man had stepped in to help a woman confronted by two alleged thieves.
A local shop worker told 1News he called the police after seeing “someone with a knife” as well as people running around acting “fishy”.
Officers were called to the service station on Tauroa St and State Highway 1 at 9.40pm after police received reports of an incident involving a group of people.
A source told the Advocate he had pulled into Gull shortly before 10.30pm as he had planned to meet a friend there. He noticed six police cars and that officers were beginning to block the entry points to the station.
He parked his vehicle and went to look for his friend. He noticed a man’s body lying motionless near the station’s shop entrance.
“I was thinking was this guy okay. There was no movement, no nothing.”
He saw no sign of blood.
Concerned, he went over to a group of men nearby to find out what had happened.
One of the men told him the man lying on the ground was dead, he had been stabbed.
He claimed the man had intervened in an alleged robbery.
A 26-year-old woman had reportedly been at the Westpac ATM located on the outside wall of Gull when a pair of men were alleged to have confronted her.
At some point, the 25-year-old is claimed to have gone to the aid of his friend, a decision that ended with him being fatally wounded.
A police cordon has sealed off entry to the Gull service station in Raumanga. Photo / Michael Cunningham
People attending a late-night car meet in the neighbouring Bunnings’ car park, which looks down onto the station forecourt, claimed to have witnessed the incident.
One of whom disputed the alleged version of events but did not want to comment further. Police, in response to the Advocate’s inquiries, said they had not provided those details.
A video of the violent clash was believed to have been shared on social media by someone from the car meet but was soon removed.
News of the homicide quickly sparked an outcry from residents fearful violence was becoming a concern for the city.
One resident, who grew up in the city, said they never used to feel scared but now refuse to go out at night alone.
In response to the community’s concerns, Whangārei mayor Vince Cocurullo noted issues of crime affected the entire country.
He said police were hindered from doing their job as the courts don’t back them up.
“We need to accept that these issues are here and do what we can to fix what we can...we need to take personal responsibility for our actions.”
But just as importantly, Cocurullo said, the Government needed to step up and take responsibility.
“The council is really trying to do the best to make the district as safe as we can.”
Whangārei District Council had increased the number of City Safe officers as well as improved their pay.
Cocurullo believed issues of crime and violence had been intensified by the stress people had found themselves under because of the pandemic.
Whangārei District councillor Carol Peters, who has been active in responding to issues in the Raumanga community, was shocked to learn of the man’s death.
Peters said she and Whangārei MP Emily Henderson were in regular contact with police regarding issues in the area, also felt elsewhere.
“Regarding some of the concerns, as Emily says, statistically it’s not an unsafe town - we are just very aware of the incidents.
“It’s very hard to say that to people, especially if it’s you and your relatives that have experienced the shock and trauma.”
Police said they were working to establish what exactly happened and to identify and locate the people who left the scene before officers arrived.
They issued a fresh appeal for any images or videos that could help with enquiries after first asking for anyone with information or witnesses not yet contacted to come forward.
