By 3 News online staff
Flowers have been placed at the gates of Kelston Boys' High School following the death of a student last night.
Stephen Dudley, 15, died after what police describe as a violent incident during his Kelston Boys' High School rugby team training.
He was taken to Auckland Hospital, but died from his injuries.
Kelston Boys' Board of Trustees chair Jonathan Tommy said the school was "devastated by this tragic event".
Mr Tommy says the students are the school's key priority and a plan is in place to make sure they are taken care of.
"We are taking things day by day at this stage."
Mr Tommy said all school sports planned for tomorrow would not go ahead.
Two teenagers have appeared in the Waitakere District Court this morning charged with assaulting Stephen. Many details of their brief court appearance were suppressed, but they were granted bail and will reappear in court on July 2.
Media were not allowed to enter a special assembly held at the school this morning, but a loud and sobering haka could be heard from the school gates.
Teachers, parents and students were seen crying as they dispersed from the school hall.
A group of students attended a blessing near the field of the Deaf Education Centre and were carrying a singlet and playing the guitar.
Waitemata police launched a homicide investigation after they were called to the scene about 5pm, after reports a boy had been injured at a training session.
Detective Inspector Bruce Scott says it appeared Stephen was punched and received more blows once on the ground.
One of those arrested was involved in the training while the other was a spectator, he says.
Tributes were pouring in on the RIP Stephen Dudley page, which had hundreds of comments and more than 10,000 "likes" this morning.
Many of the tributes said he would be sorely missed. Some expressed anger at the incident, but a couple of lengthy tributes said there was nothing to gain from anger over the issue.
3 News
source: newshub archive
