Stabbed man fighting for his life

A man is fighting for his life after being stabbed in the back during a fight involving up to 10 men armed with knives and irons bars in an Auckland carpark last night.

The 32-year-old victim is listed as "critical" after undergoing emergency surgery at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital.

"At this stage the man is still alive but listed as critical therefore we are treating this as an attempted murder inquiry," Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Pizzini said.

"This could change depending on the status of the victim."

He said police had not been able to find a second man believed to have been injured in the incident at Papatoetoe about 8pm.

"Anyone who is aware of a person nursing wounds consistent with being stabbed should contact the police immediately.

This person could be a vital witness in the inquiry."

Mr Pizzini said about 10 people armed with iron bars and knives may have been fighting but there had been no sign of the man wanted for the stabbing.

He appealed to the public for help in finding the knife they believed was used in the attack.

"It could be that this knife has been discarded in someone's front yard or in bushes close by the scene.

"We would like anyone who lives in the immediate area to search their properties for the knife which we can only describe as medium-sized at this stage."

He said anyone who found the knife should leave it where it was and call police.

The fight was between two groups of people who had been at the Burger King restaurant on the corner of Puhinui and Great South roads in Papatoetoe.

- NZPA