Student attacked with metal bar in Auckland bus

“I was just listening to music and browsing on my phone and then it happened.

“She just stood up and hit me.”

The student has lived in New Zealand for seven years, almost half his life, and said this was the first time he had experienced a racially motivated attack.

“I lost three (teeth) completely, two are broken.”

“I can’t fix it now… I have to wait until the wound heals.”

He said he felt “embarrassed” after the attack because he will probably have to wear artificial teeth until he is 18 years old.

Although there were more than 10 people on the bus, only one person intervened in the attack.

“A 75-year-old gentleman further back helped me to get the woman under control and to reach her center.”

The woman jumped off the bus at the Williams Ave bus stop in Pakuranga and ran away.

“We shouted at the driver not to open the door, but he opened the door and she ran away.”

He estimated the woman to be about 40 years old, of a strong build and dressed entirely in black.

“I’m a little scared. This time it was a stick. Who knows what will happen next time, maybe a knife?” he said.

The boy hoped that sharing his story would encourage others to intervene if they witnessed an attack on someone.

“Be careful on the bus, protect yourself and hope that if something happens near you, people can step up and help.”

He did not believe the woman had been found yet, and police confirmed they were continuing to investigate the case.

Police confirmed they were investigating an attack on a bus in the Panmure area on June 28.

“At around 9:15am the victim was on a bus from Howick to Auckland City.

“A woman then got on the bus and attacked the victim with an object,” said a police spokesman.

The victim suffered serious injuries and the perpetrator got off the bus before police arrived, a police spokesman said.

A Hato Hone St John spokesman said an ambulance was on site and helped arrange a dentist for the patient.

If anyone witnessed the incident they can contact police on 105 quoting reference number 240628/8342 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Heraldwith a focus on crime and current affairs. Lyth began his work under the NZ Herald Imprint in 2021 as a reporter for the Lawyer of the North in Whangarei.