Meade said police were “currently following lines of enquiry to locate the alleged offender”.

“Initial enquiries suggest this is an isolated incident and there is not believed to be any further risk to the public.

“There will be a visible Police presence in the area throughout this evening as enquiries continue.”

A Hato Hone St John spokesman confirmed crews had been called to the Pakuranga Night Markets about 6.50pm.

They responded with two rapid response vehicles, three ambulances and an operations manager.

Photos from the scene show multiple police cars parked around the markets.

Numerous police officers are on the site and an eyewitness said at one stage exit from the market was not allowed.

Other photos showed patches of blood on a concreted area in the market.

A witness told the Herald of hearing “screaming” and then saw a group of people gather around a badly injured young man.

“I saw a pool of blood and between the gaps of people’s arms and heads and they were crouching on the ground around one boy,” he said.

“I looked over and saw the stab wound on his lower abdomen . . . people were trying to help apply pressure to the wound and others were ringing the ambulance and police.”

The witness said his younger brother was near where the two injured people when they were stabbed.

“He said it happened so quickly.”