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A grandfather who was fatally bashed at an Auckland bus stop has been described by friends and family as a devout Baptist and a "pillar of the community".
Graham Wallace Arcus was walking home along Manukau Rd just after 9pm on Saturday when he was assaulted by one of five men at the Watchman's Lane bus stop.
The 61-year-old had been at a prayer group at Royal Oak Baptist Church on nearby Symonds St. He died in Auckland Hospital at 6.45am yesterday.
Mr Arcus' family was last night at his Trafalgar St home in Onehunga making arrangements for his funeral on Saturday.
His son told the Herald: "He was a much loved family man who will be missed by everyone in the community. He was a community man."
Church elder Johannes Balzer said Mr Arcus "didn't have a bad bone in his body".
He and his wife, Edith, ran a soup kitchen every Friday, and also collected second-hand baby clothes which they gave to less-fortunate mothers.
Church pastor Erik Schilperoort said the Arcus family had spent about 21 years in Papua New Guinea where Mr Arcus was a principal at a school.
"Obviously we're angry about this random violent act but we choose to forgive the attacker.
"We're actively praying for him or them."
Police said the attack, which happened only about 800m from Mr Arcus' home, was unprovoked and robbery was not a motive.
Police have spoken to three of the five men who were at the bus stop at the time of the attack, but are still seeking the person responsible.
"What was a serious assault investigation has become a homicide investigation," Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cramer of Glen Innes CIB said.
"While we have spoken to and are aware of a number of witnesses to the assault on Manukau Rd, we'd very much like to hear from anyone who thinks they might have some information for us about Mr Arcus' movements before he was punched to the ground and events subsequent to that."
A woman who lived beside the bus stop told the Herald the area - including her driveway - was cordoned off for several hours yesterday while police combed the scene for evidence.
She said she was home at the time of the attack and heard "kids mucking around" but it was nothing out of the ordinary".
"I feel a bit sick now that I know what it was."
Mr Arcus was taken to Auckland hospital for observation on Saturday - thought at the time to be a precautionary measure.
Mr Balzer said Mr Arcus had health problems.
He was on a blood-thinning medicine because of a heart ailment and often rode a mobility scooter.
Someone would have usually given Mr Arcus a ride home after prayer group or his wife would have been with him, Mr Balzer said.
"He would not have spoken to anybody. If someone accosted him he probably would have been stunned. There was nothing to gain from beating him, he was not a wealthy, well-to-do man. It was just a brainless, senseless act of violence."
Mr Balzer said his 16-year-old son wrote to local politicians Phil Goff and Jackie Blue after the attack.
"He said 'I've been accosted while walking home, I feel the fear. What kind of community is this when you can't look people in the eye?'."
Brian Du, who owns a fruit shop beside Mr Arcus' home, said he bought food from him almost every day as he and his wife were good cooks.
"He had a big family, lots of grandchildren so they were always cooking. He was very nice, he would always help people outside on the street to carry their bags."
