"Heartbreaking": Triple Homicide Investigation Underway in Hastings

Three people are dead and one remains injured following a violent incident in Hastings. Police have launched a homicide inquiry and cordoned off an Avenue Road East property.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 3:58 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Violent Sequence at Avenue Road East

The emergency began on the morning of Sunday, April 19, 2026, when police were alerted to reports of multiple people suffering serious injuries at a residential address. Upon arrival, first responders discovered one person already deceased.

Three other individuals were found at the scene with varying degrees of trauma:

Two people were transported to Hastings Hospital in critical condition; both have since succumbed to their injuries.

One person remains in hospital with serious injuries.

Detective Inspector Martin James confirmed the launch of the homicide inquiry but sought to ease local anxieties, stating that evidence suggests this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing risk to the wider public.