‘Nothing prepares you for something like this,’ says witness to fatal assault

A man who says he witnessed a “horrific” death on Auckland’s North Shore on Friday night has laid flowers for the victim, while another has described seeing a group of “intimidating” men at the scene of the death.

Police are investigating what they have called a “fatal assault” – they won’t confirm if it’s a homicide investigation – after a crash in Beach Haven, followed by the alleged assault.

The victim died at the scene and a man hunt is now under way for a black BMW sedan, registration CTC411, which the suspects are believed to be driving.

A Beach Haven resident, who Stuff has chosen not to name, lives near where the man was killed and was quickly on the scene.

“Nothing in life really prepares you for something like this,” the resident said.

READ MORE:
* ‘Nothing in life prepares you for something like this,’ says witness to killing
* ‘Engulfed in smoke, windows were smashing’: Witness describes North Shore house fire
* Investigation after person arrives at North Shore Hospital with gunshot wounds

He said he and others tried to save the victim, but they weren’t able to.

He didn’t see a weapon.

On Saturday morning, the man returned to his house after spending the night away, and put out flowers for the victim.

He and his partner were doing it “pretty rough”.

Another witness, believed to have seen the fracas before the victim’s death, described seeing three or four shirtless men in black shorts getting out of a black BMW and surrounding a silver van.

The witness, Beach Haven resident Nick, who didn’t want his last name used out of fears for his safety, was returning from dinner with his family when they came across the scene.

“We saw a whole pile of guys jump out of it [the black BMW] with no shirts,” he said.

“It was a black s…box,” he said of the BMW.

Nick said the men surrounded the silver van and waved their arms in an intimidating way.

“They got back in the car and screamed up the road,” he said.

However, he didn’t realise someone had been killed, thinking it was only a minor fracas following a crash.

“It was really weird.”

Nick saw the front of the silver van damaged, but can’t remember seeing any damage to the black BMW.

He described the men as most likely being in their 20s.

Nick said as the lowered and modded BMW drove away the men were pulling signs with their hands out the car windows.

Do you know more? Email aucklandnewsroom@stuff.co.nz

Emergency services were called to the intersection of Tramway Rd and Beach Haven Rd, following the crash involving two cars at around 7pm on Friday.

Beach Haven resident Gareth Todd, who arrived just minutes after the incident, said he could see police giving someone CPR on the ground.

There were heaps of cops, he said, and roads blocked off along the street.

A local resident was passing by the intersection just after 7pm and saw at least 10 police officers at the scene and helicopters circling above.

“They had a police tent up, and were wheeling a body through on a stretcher.

“It looked like they were removing the body from the scene and starting their investigation,” he said.

A local of 12 years, Todd said apart from the odd car chase, this was the most serious incident he had seen.

“It’s a nice place with lots of families and a great spirit.”