Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
A man has been arrested over a fatal stabbing on a bus in Auckland's Glenn Innes on Monday night.
Two separate investigations were launched after a 59-year-old was stabbed on a bus travelling from Glenn Innes towards Ōrakei in East Auckland.
Another man, 51, was seriously injured after boarding the same bus a short time later.
Police had earlier said they were looking for 36-year-old Adrian Pani.
On Tuesday afternoon, Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said information from the public had helped police locate the suspect in Auckland CBD.
"Our team developed further information that was received, which pinpointed an area of interest within the Auckland CBD.
Officers "flooded the lower downtown area" were the alleged offender was observed, before being arrested on the corner of Commerce and Fort Streets.
Timeline of attacks
Hato Hone St John ambulance said they were called to an incident on Fenchurch Street in Glen Innes around 8pm on Monday.
Police have confirmed the first victim - a man aged 59 - had boarded the number 76 bus at 7.56pm and travelled a short distance before moving to get off the bus at 7.58pm.
"The only other passenger on board initiated an attack on the victim, before he could exit the bus near Fenchurch Street in Glen Innes," Baldwin said.
The man was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.
Second assault near Coates Ave and Kepa Rd
Following the first assault the number 76 bus continued on its route where the second victim boarded the bus around 8.09pm.
The man, aged 51, sat at the back of the bus where the offender moved toward him, Baldwin said.
"The second unprovoked assault began when the offender approached the victim at the rear of the bus.
"The offender initiated a fight and quickly produced a knife and assaulted the victim.
"After a short confrontation the second victim managed to flee from the bus, along with another passenger and the bus driver near the bus stop at Coates Avenue and Kepa Road."
Baldwin said the bus driver was unaware of the significance of the event in-between the assaults.
The offender eventually got off the bus and was last seen fleeing on foot.
Detective Inspector Baldwin said the victim was taken to Auckland City Hospital with serious injuries, where he is in a stable condition and undergoing surgery on his hand today.
A dairy worker said he recognised the victim as a local. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
'It really broke my heart'
A dairy worker, who saw a man with a stab wound dying outside his shop, said he and several people tried to help him in his last moments.
He said when he went outside he recognised the injured man as a local customer, that he looked like he'd been stabbed in the chest and was bleeding a lot.
The worker said he went to the liquor shop next door to grab some t-shirts to help stop the bleeding, while a nurse who happened to be passing by also helped.
The man appeared to be moaning and delirious, according to the worker.
He didn't hear the man say anything, but got the impression that he would've been stabbed on the bus he'd come off.
The worker said even though he didn't know the name of the man, he knew him as a regular customer who'd been living in the area for a long time with his children.
He said he's a "real nice and humble guy" and was "soft as a teddy bear".
A woman who lives nearby says she heard a commotion and came outside to see paramedics trying to revive a man.
The woman, who asked to not be named, said she heard cries of help.
"It really broke my heart. I didn't know what to think/ The first thing I could think of was my children, it being right outside our home. It actually makes me feel like I'm a little bit unsafe."
Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson said the bus the attack occurred on is the same route she travels to work each day.
"It does give us, you know, concern from a community perspective. It's a tragic incident, obviously, and it's very concerning for the community. But I think we have to trust our police to update and catch the offender," she said.
Auckland Transport responds
Auckland Transport's Stacey van der Putten said the agency was assisting police.
"Our buses all have CCTV cameras on-board, and we are working closely with police in its investigation.
"We are also working with our bus operator to provide support to the bus driver."
"We are very saddened to hear about these incidents, and our thoughts are with the victims, their families and our bus operator staff who was present."
In October last year, a woman was fatally stabbed on a bus in the Auckland suburb Onehunga.
"This has been an emerging issue over recent years so we have put a lot into it, including safety protocols, de-escalation training. We review every single incident that happens on our network and see what else needs to change."
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