Jason Luo attends a media briefing in Auckland on Wednesday. Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has asked Auckland Transport to confirm whether staff followed the proper protocols during an attack on a bus that left a teenager with severe facial injuries.
Sixteen-year-old Jason Luo lost three teeth after being attacked with a metal rod by an unknown woman on Friday, with a further three teeth suffering damage.
A 75-year-old passenger intervened to stop the attack near Williams Ave in Pakuranga, the teenager said.
The woman disembarked the bus a short time later and fled the scene.
The teenager claimed the driver didn't stop the bus to assist him after the attack, continuing along the scheduled route.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant James Mapp, Counties Manukau East CIB, initially described the attack as being "unprovoked".
A police spokesperson said Wednesday the investigation was continuing, and no arrests had been made.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said what happened was "horrific" and "unacceptable". Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin
Meeting with the family in Auckland, Brown said Wednesday that what happened was "horrific" and "unacceptable".
"In terms of how the incident was managed by the bus driver and by Auckland Transport, I want assurances that the appropriate policies and procedures were followed, and if there's a need for improvement in that regard," Brown said.
"It's not about laying blame, but it's actually just saying we need to learn from these incidents to make sure that New Zealanders using public transport are kept safe."
The teenager initially claimed the woman was yelling racist slurs, but his father said it was too early to know whether the attack was racially motivated.
"Since the attacker has not been caught yet, we don't know if the motive for the action is deliberate or accidental," the teenager's father said.
"She used some racist words targeting Chinese people, but we don't know if it was just something random," he said. "We can't say for sure, so will need to wait for further police investigation."
The teenager's father said the facial injuries sustained in the attack would have a lasting impact on his son.
The father expressed pride in his son for confronting the attacker and protecting others from harm.
He was reassured to hear from Brown about the government's commitment to tackling crime, but hoped the incident was a reminder for the government to improve safety on public transport.
"What I don't want to happen is for safety on public transport to remain the same as before after the incident has been forgotten," the teen's father said.
Costs to repair the teenager's damaged teeth had been estimated at around $6000, excluding further consultation and ongoing treatment, he said.
The teenager said he was now scared to catch public transport, calling on the government to do more to improve safety for students in his position.
"As students, we have to take the bus to school every single day," the teenager said. "If our basic safety is not ensured by the government and not ensured by Auckland Transport, how can we as students safely [travel] every single day?"
National list MP Nancy Lu (left) stands with Jason Luo and his parents. Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin
The Chinese community has rallied around the injured teen, with reports of the attack being discussed widely on social media platforms such as WeChat and drawing attention from media abroad.
The family thanked 75-year-old Gleen Zhang, who came to the aid of the teenager during the attack.
The teenager said he couldn't remember if anyone else had helped him during the attack as he was focused on defending himself.
A lot of criticism on social media had been levelled at passengers on the bus who might not have offered help during the attack, but the teenager said they weren't to blame.
"Hopefully, next time when things like this happen around you, please offer some help," he said. "Stand up for them and be brave and protect everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand."
Auckland Transport said it deployed officers to public transport hubs, buses, ferries and trains to help manage the transport network's safety.
A spokesperson said all buses were fitted with CCTV, GPS and panic buttons that record sound, connecting directly with a bus depot that can respond immediately and summon police to intervene.
When asked what a bus driver was supposed to do in the event of an assault, an AT spokesperson said drivers were "trained with de-escalation techniques and advised not to get into confrontational situations that can escalate".
"Drivers are not able to detain passengers or stop them getting on or off the bus," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said AT staff were personally in contact with the victim on Monday.
Jason Luo's mother says she has kept all her son's deciduous teeth, expressing disappointment that his adult teeth have been damaged in the attack. Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin
AT said it had been working on ways to reverse an uptick in violence on public transport.
"As this is a societal issue, we are continuing to work closely with police and community partners on a range of measures," the spokesperson said.
"We have a joint plan in place with police that includes measures like extra security staff across the transport network, extra police resourcing and a better reporting process."
National list MP Nancy Lu, who also attended the meeting on Wednesday, was shocked to learn about the incident.
She said many people from the Chinese community had reached out to her and the family, offering support, and she felt grateful for that.
"It's not something that only matters to the Chinese community, but our society as a whole," Lu said. "I appeal to people who have information to help with police investigation."
Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee expressed a similar sentiment.
"Everyone living in New Zealand, regardless of their background, should feel safe in their community," Lee said. "This sort of attack is not acceptable under any circumstances."