Homicide investigation: body found in Christchurch, man arrested

One person died after an incident in central Christchurch in which a bloody man, wielding a hammer, was seen running down a street.

Police said emergency services received a report of a serious assault on Armagh St
property around 7.35pm on Sunday.

A body was located at the address, police said, and a homicide investigation was underway.

“Soon after, the police located a person who was assisting with the investigation.”

Previously, parts of downtown Christchurch were cordoned off after reports of a man covered in blood carrying a hammer and running down the road.

A witness staying in backpackers on Barbadoes St told Chris Lynch of Newstalk ZB that he saw the man. The witness also said that several girls were fleeing from the man.

The man was later detained by police on Moorhouse Ave outside the Godfreys Law building, Lynch reported.

Meanwhile, video sent to Lynch shows a St John ambulance pushing a stretcher into the driveway of an apartment block on Armagh St earlier in the evening.

Another witness posted on Facebook that people should avoid Moorhouse Ave if they had children, as it was “pretty scary.”

“The man arrested outside McDonald’s got (a lot) of blood soaked all over his clothes from the neck down. Not pretty. Hoping everyone involved is okay.”

Police urged the public to stay away from the scene.

A police spokesman said officers were responding to the incident on Armagh St, reported around 7.35pm. “There is a cordon at the intersection of Armagh St and Barbadoes St. Police are asking the public to avoid the area at this time.”

Police said in a statement Monday morning: “Police believe this is an isolated incident with no increased risk to the public.”

More to come