Man accused of violent rampage in Auckland's Epsom named as Shalty Heta

The man accused of carrying out a violent rampage in the Auckland suburb of Epsom last month can now be named.He is 49-year-old Shalty Heta.Heta remains in custody after allegedly assaulting a jogger, taking a car and running down three high-school-aged cyclists, and killing a dog.Appearing at the Auckland District Court on Friday, he entered a not guilty plea through his lawyer, Jane-Frances O'Halloran.Judge Evangelos Thomas.Stuff/Ricky WilsonHe did not seek continued name suppression.Judge Evangelos Thomas set his hearing date for December.He faced 17 charges including intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which has a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonmentWhat police said happened on the dayPolice said they were called to reports of a serious assault at the intersection of Ranfurly Rd and Manukau Rd about 7am on August 5.What followed were described by Auckland City District Commander Superintendent Sunny Patel as six separate incidents.Acting Detective Inspector Craig Bolton said a man without warning had assaulted a woman, causing bruising to her face, head and upper body."A member of the public stopped to assist the victim, before this offender has stolen the good Samaritan's vehicle," he said.Patel confirmed the woman was jogging when she was assaulted by the man who was not wearing any pants, and three our four members of the public came to help her."The offender then fled in the stolen vehicle, hitting several vehicles before striking three cyclists who were riding on Manukau Road."Three students were struck on Manukau Rd.RNZ / Marika KhabaziAfter crashing the vehicle, the offender approached a woman walking her dogs."The offender has subjected one of the dogs to a violent assault, and sadly the dog has died at the scene," acting Detective Inspector Bolton said.RNZ / Marika KhabaziPatel said police attempted to taser the man once and then were able to taser him and pull him off the dog which had been killed."It is a random event that has occurred," he said."This has all taken place in full view of the public going about their morning commute."Police remove bicycles from the scene of a violent incident in the Auckland suburb of Epsom.RNZ / Marika KhabaziLater that day, Patel confirmed the dog had been strangled.Police had assisted the dog walker, who Patel said was "very, very upset".