Pictures of a woman released after a 16-year-old was attacked on a bus in Auckland

Police are searching for a “person of interest” after a student suffered “serious facial injuries” in an attack on a bus in Auckland’s Pakuranga district last week.

It is alleged the woman attacked the victim, 16-year-old Jason Luo, as they were travelling on a bus from Howick to Auckland City on Pakuranga Road, Assistant Detective Senior Sergeant James Mapp said.

Mapp said the woman, dressed all in black and carrying a suitcase, boarded the bus on Pakuranga Road at the junction with Johns Lane at about 9.15am on June 28 before attacking the teenager with an object.

The boy had three teeth knocked out and three others damaged in the attack, reporters learned at a meeting on Wednesday.

She then exited the bus after it stopped in the bus lane near Williams Ave.

“Police would like to hear from anyone who knows who this woman is or who has information about her identity and I am asking anyone who knows her to come forward,” Mapp said.

“We are also interested in hearing from anyone who witnessed the incident and has not yet come forward.”

Mapp said police are “still investigating why the perpetrator did what she did and we cannot say at this time that this is a hate crime.”

“The police continue to not tolerate this type of crime or intimidation in our communities,” he said.

“We work with Auckland Transport on a number of issues and will continue to do so to prevent or respond to incidents such as this.”

Support for the victim will continue to be provided.

“We continue to encourage people to report any crime to the police rather than taking matters into their own hands as doing so may put them at risk.”

Anyone with information about the woman is asked to contact police.