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Authorities and the south Auckland community need to work together to stop violent crime in the area, acting Manukau mayor Arthur Anae says.
In the latest in a series of homicides in south Auckland, a 14-year-old boy died from what appeared to be blunt force trauma to the back of his head following an altercation at his home last night.
Police said they were looking for at least two offenders following the attack at the boy's home in Justamere Place, Weymouth.
Acting Mayor Arthur Anae was devastated at the boy's death, but said community agencies were working hard at making the area safer.
Residents needed to react quickly if they realised there were drug dealers in their neighbourhood, and police needed to react quickly to tipoffs, Mr Anae said.
"People need to call and police need to react to that call, otherwise these people will think `this is a heyday for us, we'll just go and keep on doing it', and that's what's been going on up until now."
Detective Inspector John Tims of Counties Manukau Police said it was too early to say what the motive was for the attack on the boy, who was with two friends celebrating the birthday of one of them.
Mr Tims said the victim was "a good 14-year-old boy from a good family". He said the house was not known to police and that no drugs were found on the victim or at the scene.
The boy and two friends were outside the house when they were set upon by at least two assailants.
Police should get a better idea of how the boy died after a post mortem examination today but Mr Tims said a pathologist who examined the boy at the scene yesterday thought he died from blunt force trauma.
Police and forensic scientists were at the house today looking for clues. No weapon has yet been found.
"We need information from the public, particularly those that live in and around the house," he said.
"We would also like to hear from anyone that may know who these offenders are or what the motive for the attack may be."
Mr Tims said witnesses said there were two offenders but police could not rule out the chance that more were involved.
Mr Anae said councillors were determined to make Manukau a safe city but it wasn't always easy.
"You can try everything you can, but numbers are limited, resources are limited, and you can't predict what someone's going to do."
He said police would eventually find out why the attack happened, but he was sure drugs were an underlying reason for violence in the area.
"We should be searching out the people who are delivering this stuff ... we've got the most beautiful country in the world, the greatest country in the world, being destroyed by drugs."
Daniel Newman, who represents Manurewa on the Manukau City Council, today appealed to residents to remain calm and keep things in context.
"I am anxious that we may be facing another situation where an innocent person is the victim of a violent crime.
"As a community we simply do not need the bad profile associated with this kind of incident, because it diminishes the reputation of a place that is home to over 80,000 people, the vast majority of whom are good law-abiding folk."
- NZPA
