“She was there. She witnessed everything, so it’s even worse. It keeps playing in her head,” a friend told the New Zealand Herald.
Friends and family gather to support the young woman and wider family – including the victim’s parents and siblings – after the devastating incident left their son and brother dead.
Police and emergency services were called to the suburb of Glen Eden Wednesday afternoon after reports of disorder in a car park off Glendale Rd.
At one point, a vehicle hit a person and then fled. Police confirm that the victim died on the spot.
Authorities have yet to officially release the man’s name. A relative who spoke to the Herald said they were still in the process of informing members of the extended family.
The victim is a young father and grew up in West Auckland, attending schools in Kelston.
Friends have taken to the social media site Facebook following news of his death, describing a person who was loyal to his friends and family.
The relative said the victim’s brother is visiting from Australia – and had only arrived two days ago.
A Giveattle page has been set up to raise money for the victim’s funeral expenses, which the deceased man’s partner linked in one of her social media accounts.
“The page has been set up in memory of our friend who was tragically taken away today in a hit and run in Auckland,” the page says, which does not name the deceased man.
Among the donors featured on the page — which has raised more than $1,000 so far — is the local man who gave CPR to the deceased man at the scene of the hit-and-run, Marc Rainbow.
“My deepest sympathy and condolences for your tragic loss. My heart is broken for all of you, Greetings to Marc n Jo Rainbow,” reads the note accompanying their donation.
Rainbow rushed to the victim after being told what had happened and seeing the man on the ground.
“It’s all a bit surreal. I just did what I did.”
Rainbow spent “about four or five” minutes performing CPR and chest compressions.
Nurses rushed from nearby Westview Medical Center to help the victim, Rainbow said.
“It felt like I was doing the chest compressions forever. I had to get the nurses to come over a few times to take over.
Rainbow continued until a doctor arrived.
Court documents show that police charged a man with murder in which he used a car as a weapon, presented a firearm, failed to stop to assess injury and threatened to kill.
Armed police responded to a serious incident in a parking lot in Glen Eden that left a man dead. Photo/Michael Craig
Police indictment documents viewed by the Herald show he is a 27-year-old man from Auckland. His name and identifying information are omitted.
He did not seek bail in his brief first appearance in Waitakere District Court on Thursday. The man was taken into custody by Judge Andree Wiltens until his next appearance in the Auckland High Court. He made no plea.
His attorney, Adam Couchman, sought and obtained provisional suppression of his client’s name.
The man, who appeared via video link from a police station, shouted “I love you” to supporters in the public gallery.
He will appear again in the Auckland High Court on December 14.
The deceased man’s family wept in the courtroom across the gallery.