By Melanie Earley and Lucy Xia of RNZ
A passenger on board the Auckland bus where a woman was stabbed to death wants the family of the victim to know she did not die alone.
A 37-year-old man was taken into custody yesterday in relation to the killing on an Onehunga bus about 2.30pm on Wednesday.
The man handed himself in at a North Shore police station, a police spokesperson said.
A woman who was on the No 74 bus when the attack took place has described how passengers tried to help the victim.
"I just want to let her family know that she didn't die alone, that I held her hand in the bus until she got help and we did everything we could."
Police said they believed the attack was random, and the victim and alleged offender did not know each other, though they were sitting near each other.
They did not think there was an altercation before the attack.
Acting Detective Inspector Alisse Robertson said police would like to thank the wider community in the wake of the arrest.
"The investigation is still in its infancy and there's still a lot of work to be done to piece together the events leading up to this tragic incident.
"Police would like to thank everyone who has provided information, and would still like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed this ordeal."
Information can be provided by making an online report at 105.police.govt.nz using "Update Report" or by calling 105.
Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board chair Maria Meredith told RNZ's Morning Report programme the Onehunga community has been on edge as of late, following another death in the Auckland suburb in August.
She said the man handing himself in "brought much relief to our community".
"People were nervous. They didn't feel safe going out there. I did hear of a story where people didn't want to send their children to school because they were just uncomfortable knowing that the culprit was still out there following the incident.
"There certainly was that element of fear."
