To be attributed to Acting Superintendent Sunny Patel, Relieving Auckland District Commander:
A scene examination will continue today at the site of yesterday’s tragic incident in the Auckland CBD.
A cordon is in place around the immediate vicinity of the site and is expected to remain in place in the coming days, as our staff work carefully through the various building areas.
CBD residents and workers can expect to see a continued police presence in the area as this work is undertaken.
A priority for the investigation team today is the formal identification of the two victims who lost their lives.
Post mortems are expected to be completed in the coming days.
At this stage we can advise that the two victims were men aged in their 40s, who worked at the construction site alongside the deceased offender.
One police officer remains in hospital in a stable condition, and one officer is recovering at home from their injuries. Support is in place for the officers and their families.
Three other people injured in the incident remain in hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and two people have been discharged from hospital.
Police are not aware at this stage of any further people presenting at hospital with injuries.
The events of yesterday morning were incredibly traumatic for all involved and we know New Zealanders have many questions about what occurred.
I can assure you that a large investigation team is working to provide answers to those questions, particularly for the families of the two men who lost their lives and the other workers caught up in this tragedy.
Police is working with Victim Support to ensure the victim’s of yesterday’s tragic events have the assistance they need.
We’re aware too that there may be members of the community who witnessed disturbing scenes as the incident unfolded, and we encourage anyone impacted to reach out to Victim Support in the first instance if you need assistance.
Police will continue to provide updates as these become available.
