Police have confirmed the body of a man who seriously injured a woman in a stabbing at a sushi restaurant on Auckland’s North Shore on Thursday has been removed.
The woman is now in a stable condition as a police scene examination nears completion.
Emergency services responded to reports of an assault at a premises in Browns Bay at 5.48pm on Thursday evening. 1News understands the restaurant is Neco Sushi.
The offender responsible for inflicting the serious injuries died at the scene from a “self-inflicted injury,” police said.
Police said they believe this is an “isolated incident” where the victim and offender were known to each other.
“Police are continuing to provide support to the victim and her family.
The road remains blocked off while the examination of the scene continues.
“We would like to thank the public for their cooperation while this is underway,” a police spokesperson said.
An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the incident.
Browns Bay Business Association town centre manager Kim Murdoch told 1News the attack was a domestic, not random.
“I mean, it could have happened at their house, it could have happened anywhere and it’s just really unfortunate that it had happened in the town centre.”
Murdoch said despite that the attack would have left some businesses feeling nervous.
She visited several businesses in the proximity of the store to reassure them.
“The main message I wanted to convey was that the community is safe.”
A witness to the aftermath of the stabbing earlier told 1News yesterday the scene was “quite horrific”.
“A person was lying on the path and a bystander was holding the door of the sushi shop closed to keep the offender inside.”
She said a police car arrived and three or four police officers approached the door.
“One was armed with a taser.”
Moments after, more police showed up with guns, she said.