Birthday Party Ends in Tragedy

Last night in Auckland, New Zealand, a 14 year old boy was found murdered outside his house during a birthday party.

Emergency services say the dead boys mother called at around 9pm saying that her son had been shot in the head. But at a conference earlier today, Detective Inspector John Tims said a pathologist didn't think a firearm had been involved in the boys death.

Detective Tims stated that a post mortem exam would be completed later today.

"We cannot rule out a firearm 100 per cent. We will know that today after the post mortem, but the pathologist is confident that there was no firearm used".

The boys name has not been released and the body has not been returned to his family.

Tims says the young teenager had been standing between the garage and the house when he received blunt force trauma to the head. A 13 year old boy was also with him at the time, and was also injured.

"One of the victims' associates was also attacked. He received light lacerations but did not require hospitalisation", Mr Tims said.

Witnesses have come forward and told police that two suspects were involved in the attack, but cannot rule out that there might be more. Police are unsure whether the assailants were known to the victim.

The suspects were described as Maori, one taller than 1.83m, the second was aged 18-20, about 1.83m, stocky build, both wearing black hoodies and black pants.

Witnesses and family were interrogated at Manurewa police station last night; and today police and forensic scientists examined the crime scene for any evidence as to who committed this awful crime.

A man who lived in Justamere Place, Weymouth, where the boy was killed, said he thought his daughter might have known the boy and they went to the same intermediate school.

Mr Tims said: "He was a good 14-year-old from a good family who are just devastated".

Police are calling for anyone who might have any information to please come forward.

This is the fourth murder in South Auckland this year.