A 52-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a 28-year-old woman following a stabbing incident in the Christchurch suburb of Ilam last night.
Police were called to the scene on Ilam Road just before 8pm, where a 31-year-old man was found seriously injured after allegedly being stabbed by the other man.
Neighbour Maurice Nicholl said he "wouldn't have believed it in this area".
"We heard a kerfuffle over on the corner, loud voices, and sort of yelling. then they sort of wandered off down the road yelling at each other or whatever was going on," Mr Nicholl said.
The suspect is in Christchurch Hospital in a serious but stable condition with self-inflicted injuries.
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Anderson said, "This was a domestic incident but as I said, it's early days and we've still got more to gather."
Police believe only one weapon, a knife, was involved. They are also inspecting a white vehicle as part of their investigation.
"I just want to reassure the community at large that this is an isolated incident and we don't believe that there is any ongoing risk to the community," Sergeant Anderson said.
Cordons around Ilam Road will remain in place for the rest of the weekend.
The 52-year-old man has since been charged with murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, as residents say they can't believe the incident happened in their neighbourhood.
Neighbour Joanne Neilson says she's recently become concerned about the area.
"The tone of this neighbourhood has changed. I've lived here since the 70s and I've been a student myself, but it just seems totally different since the earthquake," Ms Neilson said.
The accused man will appear in court once he has recovered from his injuries.
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