Youth likely to be charged with murder after teen stabbed

The scene of the attack at Avondale College in AUckland. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

A young west Auckland boy is likely to join the ranks of accused teenage murderers after what police call a "random act of fatal violence" left a 14-year-old dead in the street.

Another youth, 16, was stabbed in the arm and that led to a 16-year-old teenager, being charged with assault with a weapon.

That youth was also likely to be charged with the murder of Manaola Kaumeafaiva, an Avondale College student, said police today.

The accused youth was due to appear in Auckland Youth Court today as the dead youth's family struggled with their grief.

Police said today the inquiry into the killing outside Avondale College in west Auckland was still in its early stages and they were not clear on what started the fight about 9pm last night. However, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cramer said the dead youth did nothing to provoke the attack which killed him nor did he know the accused youth.

"The act was in fact random. There was nothing to suggest there was any form of provocation."

A 19-year-old brother of the dead boy, at the scene with family members this morning, also said the attack was unprovoked.

"He was a jokester, no way he would look for trouble, he was too young" the youth said.

He said his brother was standing outside the school gates waiting for a friend to come back from a nearby dairy with a pie when he was attacked by a group of youths.

As the friend returned the victim turned to him saying 'I got stabbed' and fell to the ground. When the friend went to the aid of the victim, he was also set upon.

A school security guard and ambulance staff who arrived at the scene tried to revive the boy but it was too late to save him.

Mr Cramer would not confirm any further details of the stabbing.

"I am relatively confident that there will unlikely be anybody else charged."

The accused youth was found nearby but Mr Cramer said police had yet to find the weapon.

"The scene examination is continuing and I would expect that could go for a couple of days at least to get a good understanding of what occurred at the scene.

"Part of that includes a search for the weapon."

Mr Cramer would not say how many times the dead youth was stabbed.

About 25 police were working on the homicide inquiry.

He said police knew little about the dead youth's background and would give the family time to grieve before they spoke to relatives.

"His family are coming to terms with his death.

"We need to give them time to grieve and we will in due course be speaking to them in some detail about their son and gain an insight as to the sort of kid he was," Mr Cramer said.

The incident happened as people were leaving a church-run hip-hop dance competition in Avondale College.

Police appealed to anyone who saw what happened to call the Avondale CIB.

A post mortem examination was held on the body of the dead youth today and police said it appeared he may have died within minutes of being stabbed.

- NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF