Bashing victim's life support turned off

Photo / Brett Phibbs

A man critically hurt in a ferocious attack on Wednesday has had his life support system turned off and his death is now imminent, say police.

Aran Jenkanying, 56, and his sister Arunee, 57, were beaten with a stick in what police called a "persistent and ferocious" attack at a house in Otara.

Ms Jenkanying's stepson, Patrick Young, 42, is being hunted by police after disappearing from the address moments before police arrived.

Mr Jenkanying was rushed to Auckland Hospital where doctors told police he was brain dead and his injuries were not survivable. His sister is expected to recover.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Glossop said the life support system had been turned off and Mr Jenkanying was deteriorating.

"It is just a matter of time now."

He said it was "quite disturbing" that as police investigated the bashing it was becoming more apparent that the victim was "a lovely man. He wouldn't say boo to a ghost."

He said as a woman tried to stem the flow of blood from a head wound, he was still smiling.

"He had very limited use of English but was trying to be as thankful and as smiling as he could to this lady who was assisting him.

"It is just heartbreaking. He was such a nice man."

Mr Glossop said he loved working in Otara because the people of Otara were always "the first to get stuck in to help when they have to. This woman didn't know our victim but was willing to get out there and help him as soon as she possibly could."

He said police would be offering victim support and counselling to people who had helped or who had been affected by the bashing.

A warrant had been issued for the arrest of Young and Mr Glossop said the best thing he could do now was give himself up. He said Young should not be putting his friends and family under such stress.

"Be a man. Come in and see us and deal with what you have done."

He said Young was dangerous and "not somebody we would want the public to approach.

"We are still interested to see if he has any weapons with him. We are confident we have recovered the primary weapon but there are still some witness accounts of possibly another weapon, but we are not talking about a firearm."

Mr Glossop would not say if police would be armed when they confronted Young.

"We won't be putting ourselves in danger."

Police said they were treating the incident as a domestic dispute.

It is believed to have been a dispute over a house co-owned by Young's late father and Ms Jenkanying.

Young may be driving a white 1997 Toyota Corolla, registration WE4878 and anyone with information about Young was urged to contact Otara police.

- NZPA