Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ / Richard Tindiller
A person waiting for a bus in Auckland has been stabbed multiple times.
Police say they were called to Manurewa Railway Station about 1.20am on Wednesday.
They said the victim was approached by someone they didn’t know, who stabbed them repeatedly and tried to take their backpack.
A member of the public who saw the attack drove towards the pair which made the offender take off, police said.
The stabbing victim was taken to hospital in a serious condition.
A 24-year-old man is due in Manukau District Court charged with wounding with intent.
Auckland Transport says there were no buses running at the time, and the train station was closed.
Auckland councillor for the Manurewa-Papakura ward, Matt Winiata, said the attack was shocking.
“It’s absolutely horrible, that’s just down across the train tracks from my local supermarket at South Mall there,” he said.
There was uncertainty around whether the victim was waiting for a bus after Auckland Transport said no buses were running at the time.
Police said that was from information given by the victim.
Before AT’s response, Winiata said more people were being expected to use public transport.
“Anyone should have the right to be able to take a trip anywhere and arrive safe, wait anywhere safe without having to worry about this,” he said.
Winiata said Manurewa had “a really bad issue” with homeless people and rough sleepers.
“So whether or not that’s related, it does come across as an area that you potentially wouldn’t want to be waiting around for too long at that time of night,” he said.
So there’s a number of things that we need to look at across this.”
“Anyone should be able to wait safely without having to worry about that,” he said.
Winiata said his thanks went out to the person who saw the attack and responded, and to police who tracked the alleged offender down.
“But from a public transport point of view we need to be providing everything that we can do ensure that people feel safe.”
“It’s going to come as a shock to anyone, the station is not too far away from where I live so it’s quite worrying that people are prepared to go to these lengths at that time, or any time of the day,” Winiata said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
