Ugly fracas at Auckland flat

Press, 14 March 1977, Page 6

Ugly fracas at Auckland flat

PA Auckland A farewell party in a Mount Eden flat erupted into an ugly, three-quarter hour battle early yesterday morning and included shots being fired and a man taken to hospital with knife wounds. Six persons were taken to hospital as a result of the fracas, described by one policeman as “one hell of a scrap.” Residents of Edenvale Road spoke of a “sea of glass” littering the street, repeated calls to the police, shouting and screaming of frightened occupants of the flat, and a terrifying night for the neighbourhood.

Bloodstains on the drive, smashed windows, and broken doors were evidence of the ferocity of the battle.

Palings were ripped from 'a fence opposite 33A Edenvale Road and used as weapons; bottles and stones were thrown at will; and residents of the street flooded the Auckland Central Police Station with calls.

The police had last evening made no arrest from the incident. but two firearms had been taken into their posses-

sion as well as a host of other items thought to have been used as weapons. During the fight, at least two shots were fired into the air and one person was stabbed.

A woman at the party was critical of the police who, she alleged, stayed at the end of the street and waited some 30 to 45 minutes when the fight had died down before entering the house.

When it was all over, she said, there were more police milling about than other people. A police spokesman said that a car was at the scene within a minute of the first complaint, but it was soon clear that the incident was not a normal party disturbance. Reinforcements were sent, but the way in which the disturbance worsened required the marshalling of further policemen, including the armed offenders squad.

Although no arrest had been made, the police were following a number of avenues. More than 50 persons had been questioned. There had been more than 100 people at the scene.