A “good samaritan” stabbed to death helping a woman who was being assaulted was named on Friday as father of three, Austin Bernard Hemmings.
The 44-year-old Devonport resident and IAG broker manager was leaving his workplace on Thursday afternoon when he came upon the assault.
Hemmings, who did not know the woman, tried to stop the assault and was stabbed.
A 45-year-old man arrested by the armed offenders squad about 4.30am on Friday was to appear in Auckland District Court charged with male assaults female.
Further more serious charges would follow.
Hemmings leaves a wife and three teenage children. The family moved from Hamilton to Auckland six months ago.
He worked in IAG House, adjacent to the BNZ Towers, which backs onto the scene of the stabbing in Mills Lane.
Officer-in-charge of the homicide investigation, Detective Senior Sergeant Gerry Whitley, said Hemmings’ body would be removed from the scene on Friday.
It was hoped an autopsy would be carried out this afternoon or tomorrow.
“As a result of our investigations overnight, we have secured another four scenes at various locations in the metropolitan area so it will take some time to fully examine all the scenes,” he said.
“But we will prioritise in order to cause the least amount of inconvenience to members of the public.”
Police said Hemmings was a “good, typical Kiwi bloke” in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Hemmings was stabbed in the chest and died within seconds as bystanders frantically tried to stop the bleeding and get his heart going again in Mills Lane, a few metres from Queen St.
Whitley said a “fantastic response” from members of the public led police to the Otahuhu house in South Auckland, where the man was arrested.
He would not say if the man was known to police.
NZPA
