'Nothing short of heroic' - Bystanders who stopped Dunedin supermarket stabbing praised

May 10, 2021

The Prime Minister said there is nothing to suggest the attack is a "domestic terror event".

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and police have praised the courage of bystanders who detained the suspect in a stabbing at a Dunedin supermarket this afternoon.

Ardern said three of the four people who were stabbed by a man at Countdown on Cumberland Street at around 2.30pm had suffered critical injuries.

Two of those injured were employees. Police said the suspect was also injured. 

"I do want to acknowledge the really early reports of courageous acts by bystanders who have taken action in order to protect those around them," Ardern said in a post-Cabinet media conference this afternoon.

Southern District commander superintendent Paul Basham told reporters in a press conference this afternoon that the bystanders' actions were "nothing short of heroic".

He said he had viewed CCTV footage of the incident, which he called “quite traumatic”.

"Those that intervened – some of who became injured themselves – I think have acted selflessly and with great courage to prevent this man from hurting anybody else and indeed, I think they did just that," he said. 

Superintendent Paul Basham told reporters they acted "selflessly and with great courage".

Ardern said the bystanders had "become involved in order to try and de-escalate the situation and protect others".

"I know that all of us would just want to acknowledge that those were courageous acts and we're thinking of them and their families at this time."

She said at this stage, there is "nothing to suggest that this is a domestic terror event"   or that more than one person is involved.

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