Parnell backpackers assault: Dispute between tenants ends in stabbing

Police at the scene after a stabbing incident at the Backpackers City Garden Lodge in Parnell on New Year's Day. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Three people were covered in blood and screaming at each other at an Auckland boarding house after a man living above a couple with a baby was allegedly stabbed.

A woman was arrested after the alleged attack at City Garden Lodge on St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell, which happened about 4.30pm yesterday.

Police are still looking for a man, who is believed to be the woman's partner.

Another young man, in his 20s, was taken from the boarding house in a bloody mess with a stab wound to his back. He was taken to Auckland Hospital with serious injuries.

Amber Cooke has lived at City Garden Lodge for three weeks and said she heard "someone banging around in their room" and the next thing she knew, someone had been stabbed in the back.

Three ambulances and nine police cars attended the scene, which was reported to police at 4.39pm. A police dog team and the eagle helicopter were also involved in the manhunt.

A man in his 20s was taken from the boarding house with a stab wound to his back. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Cooke said the woman was taken away in handcuffs.

Another resident of City Garden Lodge, Steven Callagher, also said the male victim "was stabbed in the back ... and apparently they had a baby downstairs".

Raj Chatly manages the City Garden Lodge and confirmed it was a stabbing caused by a dispute between two tenants.

A neighbour across the road from City Garden Lodge said they witnessed three people out on the street covered in blood.

She said the police had been to the boarding house already three times this week.

"The guy went off down the road. She changed shirts, she was covered in blood, there was blood everywhere. She changed tops and gave it to the man, who ran off," the neighbour said.

The neighbour said the victim was "taken away in an ambulance and he had a wound in his back and blood all over him. He was probably in his 20s."

"There's no tourists and the people there yell and scream, it's horrible. It's been happening for a few weeks now. I don't know how we are going to get them to stop it. The cops are here. They've been here about three times this week. It's not very nice."

Another neighbour on Saint Georges Rd said the attack happened after several hours of loud altercations coming from the City Garden Lodge.

"It was going off and on for a few hours I'd say. There was one young person that was very upset on a phone screaming and yelling and not being very nice," the neighbour said.

"Then later we saw that happen [the bloody figures]. There was one lady who was very upset, on the phone yelling 'you're a f****** ****'. It's been fun."

Police confirmed to the Herald one person was still on the run last night after the attack.