WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A man with a knife attacked random diners at three neighboring Chinese restaurants in New Zealand, injuring four people, police and witnesses said.
Police said the man began the attack at around 9pm on Monday in the north Auckland suburb of Albany.
The police arrested a 24-year-old suspect at the scene and charged him with wounding, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The man, a Chinese national, made a brief court appearance on Tuesday. Police did not immediately provide a motive for the attack but said they had no evidence that it was racially motivated.
Auckland City Hospital said on Tuesday one patient from the attack remained there in a stable condition. North Shore Hospital said there was one patient with moderate injuries and a second with minor injuries, both of whom were in a stable condition, and that a third patient had been released earlier.
A diner told the New Zealand Herald newspaper that he was having dinner with a friend when the man walked in and started attacking his friend, who was seriously injured.
“I was shocked. When I found out what happened, he tried to target me,” the man, who asked not to be named, told the Herald. “I blocked his ax with my hand. He also tried to aim at my head, so I blocked the ax with my hand.
The diner said the man with the ax chased them out of the restaurant and then turned around and walked to another restaurant.
The Herald posted a photo of what appears to be a wood-splitter style ax lying on the sidewalk.
Surveillance footage posted by news website Stuff shows people fleeing from one of the restaurants, including a man running backwards holding a chair as a barricade being closely followed. of another person holding a weapon.
According to the police, they expect to file more charges against the man, who they believe acted alone. Police increased their presence in the area around the restaurants on Tuesday.
“We recognize how frightening this incident was for those involved, and for the wider community, and we are making sure there is support for the victims and their friends and family,” Inspector Stefan Sagar said in a statement.
During his appearance in court, the accused was assisted by a Chinese language interpreter. He is not required to enter a plea. He was granted a temporary name suppression, a common outcome in New Zealand’s legal system.
The restaurants the man entered were Yues Dumpling Kitchen, Zhangliang Malatang and Maya Hotpot. They are among a cluster of street restaurants that aim to provide diners with affordable options reminiscent of Chinese street food offerings.
