Police have named a 27-year-old father of two young children stabbed to death in Lower Hutt on Thursday.
Aaron Anthony Hadfield was stabbed several times in the chest during a fight in the suburb of Stokes Valley, about 9pm Thursday, police say.
Bystanders were giving him first aid when police arrived, but he died shortly after reaching Hutt Hospital.
Hadfield was a proud father to two children, Kayleb, aged two, and Aaliyah, aged five, police say.
Two men, aged 20 and 22, handed themselves into police and have been jointly charged with common assault. Police say further charges are pending.
They were remanded in custody when they appeared in Lower Hutt District Court on Friday. The 20-year-old will reappear on February 9 and the 22-year-old on February 14.
Police are searching for a knife linked to the attack, which is about 7-10cm long, possibly with a wooden handle.
The scene examination continues on Saturday, Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Cooper says.
"We are also speaking to family, friends and associates of Aaron Hadfield and those who were in the vicinity of George and Logie Streets on Thursday night, to piece together the events which led to his death."
Police want to hear from anyone with information. In particular, anyone who saw two men in the area around the time of the stabbing.
One is described as a 20-year-old slim Maori, about 1.78m tall, with dark hair with a dyed blond stripe down the middle. He was wearing a grey and white hooded top, black t-shirt and brown shorts.
The other is a 22-year-old Caucasian. He was wearing a black cap, shorts and a green Celtics hooded top.
NZN