Man charged over stabbing rampage in Dunedin

A 42-year-old man has been charged with four counts of attempted murder after supermarket attack in Dunedin.

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A 42-year-old man has been charged with four counts of attempted murder after going on stabbing rampage at a supermarket in NZ.

Just before 2.30pm (12.30pm AEDT) on Monday police were called to an incident at Countdown, a subsidiary of Woolworths in the South Island city of Dunedin, about 357km south of Christchurch, after a man carrying two knives allegedly stabbed several people including two staff.

A couple who witnessed the incident told New Zealand radio Newstalk ZB she heard a loud scream before customers began running for the exits of the Cumberland St store.

“We just heard a scream and thought someone must’ve fallen, but it got louder and louder and more people were screaming,” she said.

A 42-year-old man has now been charged in relation to yesterday’s attack in Cumberland Street, Dunedin.

The man was released from hospital last night and moved to Dunedin Central Police Station.

— New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) May 10, 2021

“I saw one red hand among the people; a bloody hand, and everybody started running towards the exits.”

Details of the alleged attacker are few, but witnesses have described him as having “curly hair, quite a messy little fellow”, according to the websiteStuff. Another witness told the Otago Daily Times a man covered in blood had been taken into custody.

Police said they arrived to find four people with serious stab-related injuries. The four victims and alleged attacker were taken to hospital immediately following his arrest.

New Zealand Police on Tuesday confirmed the man was released from hospital overnight and taken into custody at a nearby police station.

“Three of the injured are now described as in a serious but stable condition. A fourth person is in a moderate condition, “ they said.

Police are responding to an incident in central Dunedin.

It occurred on Cumberland St at about 2.30pm.

Initial information suggests several people have been injured.

One person has been taken into custody.

Further information will be released when available.

— New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) May 10, 2021

A statement from the franchise said the company was “heartbroken” over the incident and that customers were injured coming to the aid of staff.

“Our priority right now is our injured team members and caring for our wider team in the wake of this extremely traumatic event,” it said.

“We are deeply upset that customers who tried to help our team members were also injured.

“Our amazing team comes to work to serve Kiwis every day, and our customers visit our stores knowing that they will be safe. We are heartbroken that this wasn’t the case today.”

It is not clear what the man’s motives were however police said “on the face of what we currently know, we believe this was a random attack.”

The man is due to appear in court Tuesday facing four counts of attempted murder.

The store will remain closed for two days.