Auckland's Franklin Rd residents are perplexed and devastated after a man was stabbed on the busy street "heaving" with families and children viewing the street's famous Christmas lights.
Police said a man was in hospital in a serious condition after an assault just after 10pm last night in which he was believed to have suffered stab wounds.
No arrests have been made and police are seeking information from witnesses, who are believed to have numbered in the hundreds, as families flocked to see the street's festive lights.
There are unconfirmed reports a man was seen running from the scene down Heke St afterwards.
Eye witnesses reported seeing paramedics give the victim CPR before he was rushed to hospital.
Well-known Franklin Rd resident, writer Hamish Keith, said he was asleep and woken by the police car sirens at the time of the incident.
"It's sad that a street that has given so much joy to children being marred by an incident like this. It's a great shame.
"It has been a brilliantly happy week in the street, it has been very busy," Keith said