Photo / NZME / Michael Craig
A man has been arrested following a mass stabbing incident at an Auckland beach.
Four people have been stabbed at Murray’s Bay on Auckland’s North Shore, in what Police say they believe is a random attack.
Above: Waitematā district commander Superintendent Naila Hassan speaks to media after A mass stabbing at Murrays Bay.
A worker from Montrose Cafe, Bistro and Bar at Mairangi Bay told NZME a member of the public used a crutch to trip up the alleged offender, allowing police to capture him.
A woman speaking to NZME recounted the moment the man approached her before revealing a large knife.
"I was wearing headphones and went to take the headphones off to talk to him because that's what I thought he wanted," she told the newspaper.
Then "he just started running at me".
"And - fight or flight - I turned away and ran the other way and I looked back and he had a big knife, running at me," she said.
"I was screaming, calling out for help because he was chasing me with this big knife."
The woman said she managed to escape, and last saw the man heading onto Beach Rd, the main route which runs parallel with the eastern coastline.
A worker from Cafe BayBay near the area says he understands the man stabbed several women, before fleeing south to Mairangi Bay.
Police tape at the scene of an alleged mass stabbing in Auckland Photo / NZME / Jed Bradley
Police have confirmed emergency services are in attendance.
“A number of people are understood to have sustained injuries," a police spokeswoman said.
Police Superintendant Naila Hassan has confirmed the attack was random and commended the bravery of members of the public who intervened after the offender had stabbed four members of the public. She said there was no evidence of any kind that it was a hate crime. "The victims were of different genders, ethnicity and age."
However, it could have been much worse, she said, had it not been for the bravery of the people who intervened.
The four people had received moderate injuries "and we are making sure they have the necessary support around them.
"I would like to reassure the public that this was an isolated incident. The offender has been apprehended and he is in custody."
Charges would be laid, she said. The offender was in hospital with moderate injuries. She said she was not in a position to comment on the offender than that that he was a local.
She said it had been less than 10 minutes from the time police were alerted until he was apprehended by a member of the public. Police had arrived a few minutes later.
She said police would be highly visible in the community in coming days and would like anyone who saw the events unfold to contact them.