Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was near tears on Saturday after speaking to the family of Sandringham dairy stabbing victim Janak Patel.
Patel was stabbed multiple times in the street after following a man who allegedly took the cash register drawer from Rose Cottage Superette on Wednesday night.
On Friday a 34-year-old man was arrested at a New Lynn address and charged with both aggravated robbery and Patel's murder. A 42-year-old man has also been charged with robbery.
At a media stand-up on Saturday after meeting with police and members of the Sandringham Business Association, Ardern said she had spoken with Patel's family after he "horrifically" lost his life.
Visibly emotional, she said meeting them in person wasn't a possibility yet for several reasons.
"I'm very mindful of the fact they haven't yet laid their loved one to rest, but I will be seeking the opportunity to meet with them face-to-face, and to do that on their terms, on their timeline," she said.
"I'm mindful of protecting their privacy as well. I would describe the conversation as one full of sorrow."
Ardern also acknowledged the work police had carried out in their investigation to arrest and charge a man over Patel's death.
"That will bring some relief, of course, but it will not, of course, take away the grief that the family are feeling at this time and that is who ultimately I know we are all mindful of and continue to be focused on," she said.
The man charged with Patel's murder appeared in court on Saturday and was granted interim name suppression. He has been remanded in custody until his next appearance at the Auckland High Court on December 14.
Police prosecutor Victoria Brooker alleged the 42-year-old man also charged with robbery took the murder accused to the dairy. Police allege the 42-year-old man was in communication with the murder accused and picked him up at the end of the incident.
The 42-year-old man has appeared in Auckland District Court and was also granted interim name suppression. He has been remanded in custody and will appear in the Auckland District Court on Monday.
Following her meeting with community leaders, Ardern defended her Government's record on crime and said they have been "looking to add tools" to combat it.
"We have not taken them away and we've looked to continually ask ourselves 'what more can we do?'" she said at her standup.
When asked if she thought Aotearoa has a crime emergency, Ardern instead highlighted the spike of "particular criminal activity".
"For those who are facing it, it is horrific, it makes them feel vulnerable, it makes them feel targeted and it makes them feel unsafe. No New Zealander wants them operating under those circumstances."
