KEY POINTS:
Police have named the 39-year-old woman who died this morning after being run over during a robbery yesterday.
Counties Manukau police launched their third homicide inquiry in nine days after the hit-and-run.
Joanne Wang, of Manukau, was run over after having her handbag stolen. She was taken to Middlemore Hospital yesterday with serious head injuries and died at 4.15am today.
Her death follows those of Navtej Singh, 30, who was shot in his Manurewa liquor store on June 7 and 80-year-old Yin Ping Yang who was the victim of a violent home invasion last Wednesday.
At a media conference this afternoon, Detective Inspector John Tims said police were were seeking three cars in relation to the crime.
The first was the white 4x4 that hit Mrs Wang, the second a red car that may have been hit by the 4x4 as it left the scene and the third a green or blue car whose occupants may have witnessed the crime.
Mr Tims said about 20 police were working on Mrs Wang's homicide investigation and about 20 police from outside the district had been called in to give added support.
Manukau City Councillor Colleen Brown said community leaders were under pressure and receiving large numbers of "heart felt" emails.
"I read one email out to the Prime Minister last night from one of our residents. He lives on Riverton Drive and they're just bleeding.
"They're looking to us for support and answers of course. To a certain extent we do have answers but not necessary ones we can implement straight away," Ms Brown said.
Ms Brown said the community was of "sturdy stock" and would come through the patch of homicides.
"It's like a tsunami of events that have taken you over and you've just got to keep on," she said.
Email reporter Elizabeth Binning with any information about the case
Manukau City councillor Daniel Newman earlier said he was lost for words after the third "despicable" crime.
"What we are seeing is the brazen antics of a few low-life scumbags who are committing crimes against the person, and also against a community which just does not need it."
Mr Newman said Manurewa, where the other two attacks took place, and the wider Manukau community were focused on improving living standards.
"And we are getting there, but there's a very small element which has seen fit to try to desecrate that work."
Detective Inspector John Tims said a post mortem-examination of the woman who died this morning would take place later today.
"Her name is not able to be released until next of kin have been advised."
The Asian woman and her son, eight, had returned to their van in the Manukau City Shopping Centre carpark after shopping when she was attacked just after 3.30pm.
Police said a man reached into her vehicle and stole her handbag from the central console.
He ran to a white four-wheel-drive vehicle with the woman chasing him.
As he drove away, the vehicle smashed into the woman.
Witnesses said the vehicle left at speed towards the Manukau City Chambers, along Putney Way away from the Manukau City Centre.
Foodtown worker Josia Faalave, 17, said horrified colleagues saw the attack and told how the woman refused to let her bag go.
"[My colleague] said they backed up and drove over her. She was left on the ground when they drove off.
"The boy was just standing there, crying and screaming."
A Manurewa woman lent a tarpaulin to people helping the victim to keep them dry.
"She was lying totally lifeless, there was blood gushing out of her ear pretty profusely. It was the saddest thing I've ever seen in my life," she said.
"The little boy was distraught. Oh his poor little face, it broke my heart."
About seven family members turned up to comfort the boy, she said.
"I broke down in tears when I saw them, they looked so upset. I've had a gutsful of this crime. I want them caught and shot. We've had enough murders and everything else."
Inspector Gary Hill, from the police northern communications centre, said witnesses at the scene were last night helping police and surveillance footage was being reviewed but detectives wanted anyone else who saw the incident to contact them.
The victim's son was being cared for by relatives last night.
The shopping centre and carpark would have been busy at that time on a Monday afternoon, said Mr Newman, and he urged anyone who saw the attack to "help bring this dangerous man to justice".
Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination on Mrs Yang has confirmed that she died of a "significant physical assault".
The octogenarian died in Middlemore Hospital on Saturday after suffering internal injuries, including broken ribs, in a home invasion on Wednesday.
* Anyone with information on the attacks is asked to phone the Manukau police station on (09) 261-1300.
