Pakuranga Night Market assault alleged offender still at large
Photo:
RNZ / REECE BAKER
Police on Sunday are still searching for a person who is believed to have critically injured two people in an assault at an
Auckland night market
on Saturday evening.
Emergency services were called to Aylesbury Street and Reeves Road near the Night Market in Pakuranga at about 6.45pm.
Hato Hone St John said three ambulances, three rapid response vehicles, and one operations manager responded to the scene.
Ambulance officers treated and then transported two patients in critical condition to Middlemore Hospital.
Police said on Sunday they had not yet made arrests, but previously said the attack appeared to be an isolated incident.
Inspector Danny Meade said officers were following lines of enquiry to find the alleged offender.
The Auckland Night Market posted on its social media page last night, alerting patrons to what happened and saying the Pakuranga market was closed for the evening.
"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding," it said.
"This is an isolated incident, and all other markets will continue as planned."
A later post claimed the fight started after those involved made eye contact while browsing hats.
"Looking back, it was truly something that should never have happened," the post said.
"No matter the situation, it's always best to avoid conflict and not escalate things."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Supreme Court judges grill Crown in David Tamihere appeal
David Tamihere. Photo: RNZ Supreme Court judges have grilled the Crown case in double convicted murderer David Tamihere's appeal in the High Court at Auckland. Tamihere was convicted in December 1990 of murdering Swedish tourists Urban Höglin and Heidi Paakkonen. His lawyers are appealing an earlier Court of Appeal ruling that found a miscarriage of justice but upheld his convictions. Crown lawyers began there submissions on Tuesday, with lawyer Fergus Sinclair giving the panel of judges background about Tamihere's movements through the bush around the Coromandel Peninsula, and the discovery of Höglin's body. Crown prosecutors Fergus Sinclair and Rebecca Thomson. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The Crown case at the original trial was that Tamihere was living in the bush when he murdered the couple near Crosbies Clearing north of Thames. "We know Mr Tamihere's last two trips involved spending time in the Wentworth Valley, and on trip one, spending days on that Eastern side," Sinclair said. "Multiple witnesses established that." Evidence had been presented at trial that two trampers identified Tamihere as a man they encountered at Crosbies Clearing with a young woman. Sinclair said Tamihere partly acknowledged and partly fictionalised trips he had taken around the area at trial, to conceal that he had been near to where Höglin's body was found. "Trip one, he said, North from Thames, has spent a long time around the Coromandel area, but he didn't," he said. "He went South, then East into the Wentworth, back the same way after more than a week." The second trip, Sinclair said, Tamihere claimed to have again gone North from Thames to the 309 Road, then down the main road almost to Thames, but swerved up Tararu Creek Road to where the couple's car was to steal it, but this too was wrong, instead claiming Tamihere had gone South and back to the Wentworth Valley. "It's not possible to forget that your last two journeys were to an entirely different part of the region," Sinclair said. "So much time spent in a completely different place, in the opposite direction." Sinclair referenced the conclusion reached by the Court of Appeal. "Mr Tamihere lied to conceal his presence in the Wentworth Valley, and did so because he knew police might find evidence there," he said. "The only evidence is the body, the only reasonable conclusion is that Mr Tamihere knew about the body." Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelman sits alongside other Chief Justices. Photo: POOL/Stuff Sinclair faced scrutiny from the judges regarding whether claims Tamihere had lied had been put to him at trial. "It's a fundamental issue with the Crown's case," Chief Justice dame Helen Winkelmann said. "You're taking us and saying 'Mr Tamihere lied'. Statements are made contextually, lies, as juries are instructed, must be assessed contextually, if it's said to be a lie it must be put to the witness that it's a lie, it must be part of the case that it's a lie... "What are we to make of the fact that these things that you are now saying are lies, were to a greater or lesser extent not pursued at trial?" she asked. Sinclair said this was the fresh evidence exercise. "The issue is, does it disclose a miscarriage, and it is the Crown responding to a defence theory," he said. "The body is found, we now see more things, does it give rise to a miscarriage that is the issue." More scrutiny was put on the Crown's case by Justice Sir Joe Williams, who said their case came down to whether or not Tamihere had lied. "His lie, you say, is the thing that binds all of this together, Crown stands or falls on that lie," he said. "Without it you lose." David Tamihere's lawyers, James Carruthers (L) and Murray Gibson (R). Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Earlier on Tuesday, Tamihere's lawyer James Carruthers asked the question if his trial would have turned out differently if a fundamental error had not occurred. He quoted a case which said questions needed to be asked on what course a trial would have taken, if errors had not been made. "It's interesting to ask here what the course of the trial might have been like had it not started off in completely the wrong direction," Carruthers said. "And as we can see from the Crown's amended case, it would have taken on an entirely different complexion." Tamihere served more than 20 years of a life sentence in prison before being released on parole in 2010. He has always denied even meeting the pair and there have been lingering questions around the convictions. In 2020 the then Governor General, on advice from former Justice Minister Andrew Little, granted Tamihere a rare Royal Prerogative of Mercy. The case was referred back to the Court of Appeal to rule on whether there may have been a miscarriage of justice. That court, in July last year, found there was - but upheld Tamihere's murder convictions because there was evidence beyond reasonable doubt he murdered the tourists. This, in turn, was appealed to the Supreme Court which is hearing the case now. The hearing continues on Wednesday. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Litter of puppies dumped in Taranaki's national park, DOC investigating
The seven puppies were found by a member of the public in roadside vegetation in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. Photo: DOC / SUPPLIED A Department of Conservation investigation is underway after a litter of seven puppies was found dumped in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. The puppies, estimated to be about six weeks old, were discovered by a member of the public in the national park on 10 August. DOC ranger Cameron Hunt said aside from the disregard for the puppies' welfare, releasing pets or other animals on to conservation land was an offence under the Conservation Act and the National Parks Act. DOC could issue an infringement notice or prosecute anyone found responsible for bringing a domestic pet into national park or conservation land. Hunt said the man who found the puppies was heading up Manaia Rd to the maunga to enjoy a recent snowfall when he spotted something black and white moving in the roadside vegetation. "At first glance, he thought it was a puppy but carried on driving. He then turned around and headed back to confirm his suspicions - and discovered the litter of seven puppies." The puppies were found in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. (File photo) Photo: Supplied/DOC The puppies - thought to be a collie-working dog cross breed - were handed over to the SPCA, where they were vet checked, vaccinated and treated for worms. They were in extremely good condition and had been well fed prior to being found, but would not have survived the night in the freezing snowy conditions. Cameron said the puppies would eventually be made available for rehoming. "Someone made a deliberate decision and effort to abandon these puppies in the national park, and to do so would've required some sort of vehicle making a brief stop on the roadside. "We're hopeful anyone who saw what happened will contact us and share any information such as the make, model and colour of a vehicle - and better still a registration plate - or possibly descriptions of people they saw." He urged anyone who knew about the dumping of the puppies to contact 0800 DOC HOT and quote CLE-Works number CLE-9642. Any information passed on will be treated confidentially. Earlier this month, DOC publicised the case of a Northland woman who flagrantly breached the "no pets" rules and photographed herself with her six dogs in Tongariro National Park. One of the photographs showed the woman and a dog in front of a "no dogs" sign. In August 2022, DOC visitor centre staff encountered visitors carrying jacket-wearing cats in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki , and in December 2023 a man was pictured with a domestic pet cat in the national park. Cameron said keeping pets such as cats, rabbits, ferrets, and others out of protected spaces, was essential to protect endangered species and pets were safe. "Domestic pets can spread diseases our wildlife has not been exposed to and cannot be protected from. These can devastate our taonga and the ecosystems they depend on. Dogs, in particular, pose a serious threat to kiwi and whio, both of which are found in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Gunshot victim taken to Palmerston North Hospital in serious condition
Inspector Ross Grantham Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson Extra police are on patrol in Levin after a man turned up to a healthcare centre with a gunshot wound to his thigh and shots were fired from a car at a house on Monday. Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham described recent shooting events in the area as "brainless violence" that put people at risk of harm. The gun-shot victim was transferred to Palmerston North Hospital in a serious condition and Grantham said enquiries were ongoing. More to come Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.