The scene which greeted police following a triple stabbing in the Auckland suburb of Albany this morning was "the worst you could ever hope to find", police say.
Brent Scott, 45, was arrested following a large-scale manhunt after the stabbings, which happened about 9am. He is the former husband of victim Heidi Welman-Scott, who died at the scene.
Ms Welman-Scott's 22-year-old daughter, and her daughter's 22-year-old partner, were seriously injured.
Detective Inspector Bruce Scott said Ms Welman-Scott had a protection order against her former husband which banned all contact.
Brent Scott was due to appear in court today for breaching the protection order by trying to contact his 14-year-old son with his former wife, Bruce Scott said.
Police were called to Ms Welman-Scott's Mahoney Drive house about 9am, where they found the three victims.
Brent Scott Photo: NZ POLICE
"It's the worst that you could ever hope to find," he told Checkpoint.
"The 14-year-old son was at school (today) and as soon as we became aware of that we sent staff immediately to his school to make sure that nothing untoward could happen to him."
The boy was in shock over what had happened, Bruce Scott said.
Brent Scott, a South African, had tried to flee country after the incident.
"We placed an alert on Brent Scott to ensure that he couldn't leave the country," Bruce Scott said.
"As a result of that alert we were contacted by Customs to say that he was at the airport."
Body on verge
A resident who lives in the street where the incident happened told Radio New Zealand the police had cordoned off the area, and that he had seen somebody lying on the verge.
"I assume it was a body lying on the grass verge. The ambulance took off and didn't pick it up so I guess it's a deceased body," he said.
An Auckland Hospital spokesperson said one victim - Ms Scott's daughter's partner - was out of surgery and was in a serious but stable condition.
The other victim, Ms Scott's daughter, was still in a critical condition.
Albany Primary School, on Bass Road, was among schools in lockdown after this morning's incident in Auckland. Photo: RNZ
A police spokesperson said a rescue helicopter, police and five ambulances were involved in the hunt for Brent Scott, during which three primary schools - Albany Primary, Albany Kindergarten, and Kristen School - and a college went into lockdown. They have since reopened and most residents have been allowed back into their homes.
Albany Primary School principal Maree Bathurst said she acted as soon as the police told them there was a dangerous situation.
"Our school has a procedure that we follow very closely, and the children know exactly what to do," she said.
"Lockdown means ensure that everybody is inside, windows are shut and nobody moves until we are spoken to by the police.
"For me, at the moment, my safety and my heart is with some families and some parents and some children in my school."
Brent Scott was tonight charged with one count of murder and two of attempted murder. He will appear in the North Shore District Court tomorrow morning.
