A homicide investigation is under way after a person was fatally stabbed at an apartment complex in Auckland’s CBD on Wednesday afternoon.
The stabbing took place in the foyer of the building on Upper Queen St, according to an email sent to apartment residents.
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A nearby worker said he saw a man with “blood on his hands” hiding in a car park before police and ambulance arrived.
The victim knocked on the door to the building manager’s unit to ask for help after being stabbed, the email said.
“We do not know who was stabbed, or who by.”
According to Detective Inspector Scott Beard of Auckland City CIB, two people are in custody after the man’s death and an investigation is under way.
At 1.13pm, emergency services responded to reports of one person with injuries at a residential address on Upper Queen St, Beard said.
They died after being taken to hospital, he said.
A scene guard was in place at 2.30pm and the entire ground floor had been cordoned off, with residents being advised to take the stairs.
At 3pm, two people in handcuffs were led away by police from nearby Symonds St Cemetery.
Baaj Singh, Guri Singh and Harry Singh, who were working on a nearby construction site, said they saw a man and a woman hiding in a private car park near the apartment building.
“The man had blood on his hands and was trying to hide behind vehicles in the car park,” Baaj Singh said.
“Soon after that we saw cops and ambulance arriving at the scene.”
A Stuff reporter at the scene said police have cordoned off the neighbouring Park Terraces car park while they search for a “vehicle of interest”.
Police officers could be seen inspecting four cars inside the cordon.
Shortly after 4pm, Harinder Singh said he has been waiting to move his car out of the park for two hours.
“I finished my shift two hours ago, but I’m still stuck here waiting for police to open the car park.”
Resident Chee laforteza is a resident at the 11-storey complex, which contains about 100 units. She lives on the fourth floor of the building, said she was sad to hear of the death.
”I was not in the building when [the stabbing] happened. I’m definitely concerned, but I’m vacating the premises as our lease is expiring soon,” laforteza said.
Steve Dowd, who works across the road at Ironbank, said it was common to see people drinking in the area near the Symonds St Cemetery.
“We see people drinking alcohol in public places in evening and cops trying to get hold of them.”
Chris McKeen/Stuff
Police are at the scene of a fatal stabbing at an apartment complex in central Auckland.