Homicide inquiry over woman's death

Police on the scene outside the Waitakere Badminton Centre on Royal Road in Auckland's Massey....
Police on the scene outside the Waitakere Badminton Centre on Royal Road in Auckland's Massey. Photo: NZ Herald

Police have launched a homicide investigation after a woman died in West Auckland this evening.

Officers were called to a property on Royal Rd around 5.45pm to reports a woman had been seriously injured.

“Sadly, she died at the scene. Police are working to establish what has occurred,” Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Poland said.

“There will be a police presence in the area as officers conduct a scene examination and initial inquiries, which will include going to door-to-door speaking with people in the area.”

Police gave no update on the hunt for the person responsible.

Members of the public say they saw a body on the road and heard a woman screaming.

Other witnesses have described seeing a shirtless man holding a knife.

A woman in a distraught state was seen standing across the road from the scene near the Waitakere Badminton Centre. When asked, the woman said she knew the victim.

A person has posted on Facebook saying they saw a body.

“Saw a body lying on the ground and a whole lot of cops n ambulance car [sic]. They’ve closed the area down now.”

Mac Yu who was playing badminton with friends said he heard a woman scream just after 5pm. But he thought it was just from another group of badminton players.

But soon police arrived and told the players they had to remain in the hall.

Yu said 13 people were kept in the hall before they were eventually escorted out one by one.

He and his group of friends were the last four people in the hall. They were kept inside for two and a half hours.

They were escorted out by police just after 8pm.

A worker at the badminton centre said earlier they’d been told to stay indoors after reports of a weapon.

Another badminton player who did not want to be named said he saw a man running in the centre’s car park holding what looked like a knife in his hand. The man was not wearing a shirt.

A man has posted on social media saying he saw a man running around with no top on while he was parked at traffic lights.