A 21-year-old South African man, Luke Smith, who moved to New Zealand earlier this year, has died after being assaulted.
Luke passed away in the hospital on October 8, 2024, following an attack that occurred in Courtenay Place, Wellington. Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leich from the Wellington Criminal Investigations Branch has announced that the case is now being treated as a homicide investigation.
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“Luke Smith, the victim of the assault that took place early Sunday morning, died today in the hospital after his family withdrew life support overnight,” said Leich.
Luke had recently emigrated to Upper Hutt, New Zealand, along with his parents from South Africa. A post-mortem examination is scheduled for Wednesday, after which the family plans to return Luke’s body to South Africa for his funeral.
Authorities are still piecing together the events surrounding the incident. “Luke was assaulted at approximately 3:15 a.m. on Sunday at the bus stop located outside the old Reading Cinema,” the police stated. They are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
On Monday, a 29-year-old suspect was arrested and later granted bail after appearing in the Wellington District Court. He is set to reappear in court on October 21, where additional charges may be filed. According to the New Zealand Herald, the accused is known as a prominent boxer.
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