The brother of the young man killed going to the aid of his cousin at a Whangārei petrol station wants to forgive the killer.
Shayden Perkinson was fatally stabbed outside a Gull service station on Tauroa St, Raumanga, on April 15.
Today the 25-year-old's family joined Whangārei residents to attend a demonstration against escalating crime in their town.
Dylan told 1News Shayden was at the gas station to get some food when he stepped in to help.
"He gave his life for someone else to have theirs," he said.
The loss has been immeasurable for the family - but he hopes change can come from Shayden's death amid a rise in local robberies, ram-raids, drugs violence and poverty.
He said: "We went through the rage, grief stage and anger, and now we're sort of moving through that and coming together with the community to get our forgiveness so our family can get the healing and moving on.
"We're here today so that his life is not forgotten and we're not letting him go straight away and that his voice can be heard to make a difference."
Dylan King says he is still coming to terms with Shayden's loss, but he's determined to be heard.
He said: "We're here sending out a message that what happened in Raumanga Gull gas station is that we don't want that to be happening to other families And that we want to bring solutions to prevent what happened to our brother Shayden."
King said he feels that it could have been anyone going to someone else's aid.
"We want anyone and everyone to feel safe and that you can go to the shop and do what you need to do and not have this happen, and if our brother can be a voice out there that we can make change and deliver change, that's what we're here for.
"I speak on behalf of our whole family as you can see everyone behind us supporting us today."
Several hundred people took part in the hikoi to the town basin - all wanting an end to crime in the community.
The same week Shayden was killed another petrol station was targeted for the seventh time in eight months.
Businessman Zhare Tana told 1News: "We've been in there eight months and the space has been robbed for the last seven times."
The last time they were robbed was with machetes.
He says blades were held to the necks of managers as well as some of the general public that rushed to help the managers.
Some Northlanders are calling for a tougher stance on crime.
Shane Jones said: "That will not change until we have a change in tone in the message coming from Wellington in both the top of the police and a revamping of how sentencing works in New Zealand.
"We've got to swing back to deterrents. We've gone too far towards an approach that is too much cuddle and not enough kick in the rear end."
Two men have been arrested and charged over Shayden's killing.
Dylan says he wants the chance to meet the person who took his brother's life so he can get closure.
"I want to be able to see the guy that did this to my brother and to be able to stand and look him in the face and you know get forgiveness and to forgive him."
Forgiveness, he says, will help the whānau be free.
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