A man has been charged with murdering a woman on a bus in Onehunga, Auckland. 

It comes after the 37-year-old handed himself in for arrest yesterday. 

The woman, found with multiple stab wounds, died at the scene on Church St just after 2.30pm Wednesday. 

The accused will appear in the Auckland District Court today on charges of murder, threatening to kill, assault and burglary. 

‘I held her hand. She didn’t die alone’ 

Auckland City relieving district crime manager, Acting Detective Inspector Alisse Robertson, yesterday said the investigation was still in its infancy. 

“There’s still a lot of work to be done to piece together the events leading up to this tragic incident.” 

She acknowledged the work of her investigation team, “who worked tirelessly to get this result for the victim and her family”. 

Robertson also thanked the community for helping with police inquiries. 

She said police would continue to be visible at all transport hubs across Auckland in the coming days. 

”Places like bus stations and ferry terminals are important spaces for the public, and people should be free to use these areas without fear,” Robertson said. 

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”Police know the community are concerned and we want them to know that their local Police are continuing to take action.” 

The man handed himself in at North Shore police station yesterday afternoon. The attack has renewed focus on public transport safety with Robertson describing the investigation as a homicide. 

A person was fatally stabbed in an assault on a bus on Church Street in Onehunga around 2:30pm. 23 October 2024 NZME photograph by Hayden Woodward. 

A woman onboard the bus told Radio New Zealand fellow 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.” 

Industry body the Bus and Coach Association said the industry was “rattled to the core”. 

“We’re horrified by what’s happened, and first and foremost our thoughts go out to the family of the victim,” said Delaney Myers, chief executive of the association. 

“She should have been safe going about her own business, and this is devastating.” 

Myers praised the bus driver for his actions when the attack unfolded on the moving bus. 

A person was fatally stabbed in an assault on a bus on Church Street in Onehunga around 2:30pm. 23 October 2024 NZME photograph by Hayden Woodward. 

“We’re very proud of him. He acted with the utmost professionalism in a terrifying emergency situation, and his actions potentially avoided harm to the other passengers.” 

The association had spoken to the bus operator, Kinetic, which was ensuring the driver got the support he needed after witnessing such a traumatic incident. The driver has been signed off work to recover, is receiving extensive support and has been offered counselling. 

Speaking from Samoa yesterday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was “incredibly saddened and shocked” by the fatal stabbing, and his thoughts were with the family of the victim. “They were just going about their everyday life, that could have been anyone in New Zealand.”