By 1news.co.nz
Police say they were called to Tōtara Park about 11am.
The victim sustained minor injuries in the attack.
“There is an increased police presence in the wider area, including near the neighbouring Botanic Gardens,” a police spokesperson told 1News.
:quality(70):focal(317x184:327x194)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/tvnz/ZYIT6KFFBFC5NISGQWTYLWORXE.jpg)
A cordon is in place while officers search the area for the person involved.
“Inquiries are still in the early stages while police speak with the victim and work to establish what occurred,” the spokesperson said.
Auckland Botanical Gardens manager Jack Hobbs said police “directed them to evacuate the park at around 11am”.
The Gardens Early Childhood Education on nearby Hill Rd messaged parents and caregivers about 1.05pm saying it had gone into lockdown “as a precaution” due to the police presence. It was not ordered by police to go into lockdown.
“The children and staff are all fine,” the message read.
A witness at the scene, Nat Irvine, told 1News she was evacuated from the cafe inside the Botanic Gardens.
She said there were police cars in the car park and some officers were armed, with one car blocking the Hill Rd entrance.
