A 36 year-old Otara man is at the centre of a Police manhunt after a 42 year-old Sergeant was violently attacked in the suburb late last night.
Counties/Manukau CIB want to locate Walter George Tauatevalu and are warning members of the public not to approach him but to call 111 if they know where he is.
Detective Inspector Jim Gallagher says the injured officer is in Middlemore Hospital with serious facial injuries, including fractured eye sockets, fractured cheek bones and significant damage to the throat after being subjected to an unprovoked attack in Sandrine Ave.
“From the information I have, our officer is very lucky to be alive and will likely need several months of medical attention after being attacked from behind, knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked in the head while down.
“The officer had followed a car from outside a function at the velodrome and it stopped in Sandrine Ave which is where the driver was spoken to. The victim then went to speak with the passenger and it was then that he was attacked by the driver who had got out of the vehicle.
“ Thankfully, two women who had followed the officer’s patrol car from the function stopped and intervened during the attack and could well have saved his life.
“Our officers are trained to Police in a civilised society yet we are increasingly encountering nothing short of barbaric behaviour which is a significant concern to us all. These attacks should not be accepted by the wider community as ‘occupational hazards’.”
Anyone with information about Walter George Tauatevalu can also contact Counties/Manukau CIB on 09 295 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty, Auckland City Communications Manager, ph 0274 951 589
