Police have launched a homicide investigation following the death of a woman in Onehunga yesterday.
Auckland City Relieving District Crime Manager, Acting Detective Inspector Alisse Robertson, says police were notified of an incident onboard a bus travelling through Onehunga at about 2.30pm.
“Police received a report that a person had been stabbed on a number 74 bus and upon arrival, a woman was located with multiple wounds.
“Tragically, despite the best efforts of medical personnel and members of the public, she died at the scene.
“Our thoughts are with her whānau at this time, and we are doing everything we can to support them.”
Robertson says police are making urgent enquiries to locate the offender and have identified a person of interest.
“Our teams have been working through the night to find this person, who we believe is responsible for killing this woman.
“We are following positive lines of enquiry and have been speaking to a number of people who have been assisting us in attempting to track him.”
Robertson says police are seeking the public’s assistance to locate Kael Leona, who was last seen in the Mount Wellington area.
Leona is in his late 30s and was last seen wearing dark-coloured pants, a black jumper with white writing on the front and white shoes.
He also had a green t-shirt on his head and was carrying a black backpack.
“We are now appealing to the public for any information on the whereabouts of Mr Leona.
“We advise he is not be approached and anyone who sees this man is urged to contact police immediately via 111.”
She says the investigation is still in the early stages and police are working to understand why the victim was the target for this attack.
“We know the community will be understandably alarmed by what has occurred, and we are doing everything we can to locate this person and hold them to account.”
An increased police presence will remain in the Onehunga and Mount Wellington areas today while further enquiries are carried out.
A post-mortem examination and formal identification of the victim will be carried out over the coming days.
Anyone with information on Leona’s whereabouts is urged to contact Police on 111.
Information can also be provided to police by making an online report at www.105.police.govt.nz using “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please reference the file number 241023/8926.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says: “My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim of the senseless homicide on a bus today in Auckland.
“Police continue to urgently search for the offender who they have identified. This gratuitous violence has no place in our communities.”
