One person died and another was critically injured in a stabbing in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert. A person at the scene said a body was lying in the middle of Renton Road, at the end of the cul-de-sac, and the injured person had already been taken to hospital by ambulance. St John said they were called at 12.15am. A witness told the Herald he had seen at least three young people - both male and female - being taken away in a police vehicle. They all appeared to have been intoxicated.
The body of a man - who died after an alleged stabbing - has been removed from the scene and will undergo a post-mortem examination tomorrow.
One person died and another was critically injured in a stabbing in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert.
A person at the scene said a body was lying in the middle of Renton Road, at the end of the cul-de-sac, and the injured person had already been taken to hospital by ambulance.
Detective Inspector Chris Cahill said the man was visiting the address with his associate, who was also understood to have been stabbed and was now in a stable condition at Auckland Hospital after undergoing surgery.
"We believe we now know who the deceased was and have located and spoken with some members of his family. They are obviously distressed and are being supported by police and Victim Support."
He said the man's name would be released tomorrow at the earliest.
Mr Cahill said it appeared all those involved in the incident were known to each other, reassuring residents in the neighbourhood that the fatal attack and associated activities were confined to one address.
"We are exploring a number of leads and have spoken at length to people linked to the address last night and over the recent past. While there's a lot more work to do we are satisfied witnesses and neighbouring residents are assisting us as best they can."
He said he believed some people left the scene after the incident.
Scene investigations underway. Photo / Susan Strongman
St John said they were called at 12.15am.
A witness told the Herald he had seen at least three young people - both male and female - being taken away in a police vehicle. They all appeared to have been intoxicated.
"There's a lot of police here - about 15 police cars" he said.
"There was a person lying in the road, with paramedics working on him."
The witness said he believed the fight was a "family thing", and that the victim's throat had been cut.
"It was on a real quiet, dark cul-de-sac," he said.
Police earlier blocked off the whole street and a dog unit was also on site.
Three of the houses at the end of the cul-de-sac are owned by Housing New Zealand, while the remainder are privately owned.
Items were seen scattered across the road behind a police cordon, and two tents were erected on the street outside the house.
Police were called to the incident by people associated with the address.
"Investigating officers, alongside ESR scientists, are this morning focused on getting under way with a detailed scene examination, speaking to witnesses and canvassing local residents for any information that might assist locating those involved in the fatal incident," a police statement said.
Another witness described seeing a red ute leaving the scene shortly before police arrived.
He said he'd seen the ute at the house in the days leading up to the incident.
"It's always been a Mecca of trouble"
Neighbours on the Mt Albert cul-de-sac said there was a lot of activity coming from the house where the two stabbings occurred.
"You become immune to hearing screaming matches and screeching tyres, loud mufflers, loud music. But this argument last night was not the norm."
"It's always been a Mecca of trouble, that house," a neighbour, who didn't want to be named, said.
He said at about midnight he heard an aggressive argument, which then "went out of control".
The neighbour said he felt like it had become dangerous.
"I heard someone shouting 'you got to go cuz, you got to go. Call an ambulance!' Then I heard a ute speed off and there was a large police presence right after that."
He said about 1.30am police door -nocked neighbours, asking if people knew the family and what they saw or heard.
A cordon was put around the property at 3am, he said.
Neighbours said they knew the family who lived at the address pretty well and they had lived on the street since 1993.
There were two parents aged in their 30s or 40s, with two intermediate aged boys.
Another witness described seeing a red ute leaving the scene shortly before police arrived.
He said he'd seen the ute at the house in the days leading up to the incident.
Anyone who has information that could assist the homicide investigation should call Avondale CIB on 09 820 5784, Police on 111 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
