Police believe the stabbings at Dunedin Countdown this afternoon were a random attack. 

Just before 2.30pm today emergency services received the first calls reporting a number of people had received stab wounds inside the Countdown Supermarket on Cumberland Street. 

Police staff were on site at the supermarket within minutes.

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Upon arrival, police located four people with serious stab-related injuries. 

They also located a man, who had been detained by members of the public, that they believe is allegedly responsible for this incident.

Three of the victims were in a critical condition, going into surgery this afternoon.

Southern District Commander Superintendent Paul Basham: "This was a fast-moving and extremely traumatic event for every person in that supermarket – the victims who were injured, those present who tried to intervene and those who had to flee to a place of safety. 

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"While we are satisfied we have the person responsible in our custody, we are in the very early stages of our investigation into the circumstances.

"This includes understanding the motivation for this attack which will be a key component of the investigation. 

"However, on the face of what we currently know, we believe this was a random attack." 

Basham said the members of the public who restrained the man were "nothing short of heroic".

"I have viewed the CCTV footage, which is quite traumatic, and what I can say is that those who intervened, some of whom became injured themselves, I think have acted selflessly and with great courage to prevent this man from hurting anybody else and indeed I think the did just that."  

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The scene is currently locked down and will be the subject of an extensive scene examination.

"We are also in the process of compiling witness information and collecting CCTV footage."

The alleged offender is currently receiving medical attention in Dunedin Hospital. 

He is under police guard and is yet to be formally spoken to or charged. Basham said he couldn't comment on whether the alleged perpetrator was known to police. 

He also couldn't comment on whether the man was a vagrant, or whether a logo T-shirt he was wearing shed any light on his alleged motivations for the attack.

The matter is likely to be before the courts tomorrow.

Police are encouraging anyone who has information, including video footage of the incident, to get in touch with Police via 105 and quote event number P046456846.