Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Homicide inquiry launched into assault victim's death

Updated at 10:01 am on 13 September 2010

Police have launched a homicide inquiry into the death of a man assaulted on an Upper Hutt street early on Sunday morning.

The attack left the man on life support in Wellington Hospital; it was turned off on Sunday afternoon and he died shortly after.

The 26-year-old local man had left a bar and was walking along Main St at about 1am when he was assaulted.

Police are seeking at least one person involved in the attack. They do not believe a weapon was used.

The head of the inquiry, Darrin Thomson, says there were a number of witnesses, some of whom have contacted police, but he wants to hear from others, including motorists and passers-by.

He says police can't say what prompted the assault but can confirm it was neither drug- nor gang-related.

The man was a father of two and came from a family of eight.

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