Two people remain in critical condition following a violent assault at the Pakuranga Night Market in Auckland on Saturday night, where chaos erupted among market stalls as stunned onlookers watched the scene unfold.
Emergency services were called to Aylesbury Street around 6:45pm, where police and paramedics found two young men critically injured. Witnesses at the scene described one victim as having suffered a stab wound to the abdomen, though police have not yet confirmed the nature of the injuries.
Footage of the incident, now circulating widely on social media, shows a disturbing scene in which one man is slammed against a market stall while another delivers forceful blows. A plastic stool is thrown during the melee, goods are scattered, and onlookers try desperately to intervene and separate the combatants. Blood is seen pooled on the concrete, and a crowd quickly forms around one of the victims.
Inspector Danny Meade confirmed the assault in a police statement late Saturday, saying cordons had been established around Aylesbury Street and Reeves Road. “Police are currently following lines of enquiry to locate the alleged offender,” Meade said. He added that the attack appears to be an isolated incident, with no ongoing threat to the public.
St John dispatched multiple emergency crews, including three ambulances and rapid response units, to treat the injured. The market was shut down as police launched their investigation, with witnesses reporting a heavy police presence and being temporarily prevented from leaving the area.
As of Sunday morning, police had not released any further updates on the investigation or the condition of the victims.
