Police charge a 17 year old teenager with the murder of Auckland security guard Ramandeep Singh in Massey, The IDF continues it's assault on Gaza and the NZ police warn the public about being safe this summer.
He was the second person arrested over the death in Massey.
The 17-year-old appeared in person before a Justice of the Peace in the Youth Court at the Waitakere District Court and was remanded in custody without plea ahead of his next appearance at the High Court in Auckland on February 7.
Armourguard worker Singh, 25, was killed at the Royal Reserve carpark on Beauchamp Drive in Massey, West Auckland, on Monday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“With today’s arrest, two people are now before the courts in relation to the murder of Mr Singh.
“Our investigation team has been working hard, day and night, to bring justice for Mr Singh whose life was senselessly cut short while he was going about his job.
“We are continuing to piece together the events leading up to his murder in the early hours of Monday morning.”
His parents’ only son, he reportedly moved to New Zealand in 2018 to pursue higher education on a study visa after completing his schooling in India.
A video interview with the family shows a house packed with female mourners, many holding each other and sobbing. The men sit somberly in a separate room.
One female relative - who spoke with her eyes closed and barely able to hold her head up - said Singh used to call home every day.
“It is with deep sadness that Armourguard confirms that 25-year-old Ramandeep Singh - a security patrolman working for the organisation via a contractor - was found deceased.
Royal Reserve in Massey where Ramandeep Singh was killed. Photo / Jason Oxenham
“We send our sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of Ramandeep and are offering our full support to them during this difficult time.”
In a post on social media, Armourguard said its community “has been shattered” by the sudden loss of Singh, who leaves behind a broken family and friends in mourning.
“For his parents, he wasn’t just a son; he was their only son, the pride of their lives.
“His death serves as a reminder of the risks our security personnel face every day when they go to work.”
Armourguard also shared more details about Singh, who was born and raised in the village of Kotli Shahpur in Gurdaspur.
The post said he had “dreams that extended beyond the borders of his homeland”.
“In 2018, with aspirations for higher education, he moved to New Zealand. His easy-going nature and genuine smile warmed the hearts of all he met.
“The pain of his loss ripples across continents. Where he once made a daily telephone call to his family in Kotli Shahpur, India there is now silence. His village mourns one of its brightest stars, while New Zealand grapples with the senselessness of it all.”
