Man stabbed in head and back

A man found seriously injured in central Wellington this morning had been stabbed in his head and back, police say.

Emergency services were called to Tory St about 5.45am, central police communications shift commander Stephen Ross said.

The 23-year-old man was found unconscious and taken to Wellington Hospital.

He was in a serious but stable condition in the hospital's emergency department, a spokeswoman told NZPA.

Police were scanning CCTV footage this morning to try to identify exactly what happened.

Police said the victim and a friend were walking on Tory St when they were approached by a Maori or Polynesian man, The Dominion Post reported.

After an argument, the offender swiped at the victim's friend with a pocket knife but missed.

The friends ran in opposite directions, but one of a group of men, associated with the offender, rugby tackled the victim and held him to the ground.

Wellington Detective Sergeant Damian Murphy said one of the group held the victim on the ground while the offender repeatedly stabbed the victim in the head and back.

Police said the victim suffered multiple deep stab wounds.

Police described the stabber as Maori, about 25-years-old, shorter than 1.74m tall, with short hair and a "round, almost chubby" face. He was clean shaven and may have had bucked teeth. He was wearing a black cap backwards and may have also been wearing a hoodie.

The man who tackled the victim was described as Maori, around 19-years-old.

Police said they wanted to hear from witnesses -- especially two women and a group men who were there as the stabbing took place.

They also wanted to hear from anyone who was in Courtenay Pl during the early hours of today and who might have seen the offender or the group of men.

A police cordon was in place at the corner of Tory St and Courtenay Pl this morning, blocking off about 15 metres of Tory St.

- NZPA