Stabbing victim: ‘Lucky it was moderate’

A woman injured in Thursday’s mass stabbing has spoken of the terrifying moment she was confronted by a man with a knife.

The woman was one of four people hurt in what police described as a “random” incident in Murrays Bay on Auckland’s North Shore that was eventually brought to an end by brave bystanders, including one wielding a crutch.

“He gave me a hell of a fright,” the woman told the Herald from her home.

A 41-year-old man has been charged with assault and four counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and appeared in Waitākere District Court yesterday morning.

He did not enter a plea, was given name suppression and was remanded in custody to reappear in court on Monday.

The brave actions of members of the public in stopping the late morning attack, which began in Murrays Bay and ended in neighbouring Mairangi Bay, had likely saved others from harm,

Waitematā district commander Superintendent Naila Hassan said.

“There were members of the public that acted in extreme bravery. They apprehended the offender and brought this incident to its conclusion.”

Police arrived shortly after and handcuffed the man.

All those hurt — one stabbed at a property and three others at a bus stop — had moderate injuries, Hassan said.

But the incident would have been traumatic for those involved, she said.

Asked how she was yesterday morning, the injured woman said she had been “lucky”.

“I was lucky it was pretty moderate. But the others might not be so lucky, I don’t know.”

She’d been told not to speak to media and didn’t want to comment further.

“What’s been in the news is pretty much what happened anyway.”

Police reassured the public Thursday’s incident was an “isolated” situation, and to expect to see police in the area.