Westfield Newmarket security guard stabbed: Police Minister Mark Mitchell visits injured man in hospital

A photo taken this morning shows the guard giving the thumbs up from his hospital bed alongside several visitors, including Mitchell and Knoff-Thomas.

Lopeti is expected to be released from the hospital after the weekend, Knoff-Thomas wrote.

Actions of security guard Lopeti (left) photographed with hospital visitors including Police Minister Mark Mitchell "truly heroic"says Mark Knoff-Thomas, chief executive of the Newmarket Business Association (pictured second from right). Lopeti was seriously injured when he was stabbed in the neck while working outside Westfield Newmarket on Thursday. Photo / LinkedIn — Newmarket Business Association chief executive Mark Knoff-Thomas (pictured second from right) says the actions of security guard Lopeti, who was photographed with hospital visitors including Police Minister Mark Mitchell, were “truly heroic”. Lopeti was seriously injured when he was stabbed in the neck while working outside Westfield Newmarket on Thursday. Photo / LinkedIn

He was stunned by Lopeti’s behavior during the frightening incident, which occurred during an altercation with a fleeing man near luxury fashion store Moncler on Thursday. police.

The woman described moments before a “very agitated man in a balaclava” walked past a woman shopping. reporter.

“Lopeti’s actions were truly heroic,” Knoff-Thomas wrote on LinkedIn.

“We shudder to think what might have happened if the knife-wielding criminal had not been stopped.”

A police officer arrested a man outside Westfield Newmarket on Thursday after a security guard was stabbed in the neck. Photo / Andre Dromgool

Business leader said before New channel ZB knife crime It was on the rise in Auckland and the rest of the country, and while what happened on Thursday was an “isolated incident”, knife crime charges needed to be reconsidered.

“If people are carrying knives or using knives or knife as weaponKnoff-Thomas said penalties for these (incidents) should be greatly increased.

Knoff-Thomas also praised the police, Hato Hone St John Ambulance and Westfield for their support and for Mitchell and Newmarket Security staff visiting the injured guard in hospital this morning.

“The last few days have been very challenging for the entire NBA team. We are a tight group, a working family, but we support each other as much as we can. On behalf of the team, we are very grateful for all the calls, texts, messages, offers of help and support.

“This was an isolated incident; the (alleged) offender was arrested within seconds of the attack and was detained until his court date.”

Police are at the scene of the stabbing of a security guard outside Westfield Newmarket shopping center on Thursday. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

A 24-year-old man appeared He was charged with grievous bodily harm in the Auckland District Court yesterday regarding the incident.

He was detained without a plea and temporarily with his name secret until his next hearing on December 19.

Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. He has been a journalist for over 20 years and specializes in general news and features.

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