Warning: This story contains distressing content.
A mother who moved to New Zealand 17 years ago says she doesn’t feel safe in the country any more after her sons, along with their friends, were allegedly beaten and left bleeding at a busy Auckland park.
The incident took place at around 11.30pm at Auckland CBD’s Myers Park on Friday, December 29.
The 7 friends, all in their late teens and early 20s, were passing through Myers Park in Auckland CBD to when a large group of people demanded money and started calling them names, Galina, the mother of the two victims, said.
She did not want her last name used for security reasons.
“When my sons and their friends did not take it [the other group’s comments] seriously, and kept on walking, the group started beating them and pushing them on the ground.”
Galina claimed the group in the park belonged to a gang after her son heard them yelling their gang’s name.
“We are totally shocked, both of my sons received head injuries, their friends were brutally hit, all for the ‘fun’ of the gang group.”
Supplied/Supplied
The boys say they were pushed and beaten at Auckland CBD’s Myers Park.
She said bystanders, who saw the incident, didn’t call the police, and her sons and their friends were left bleeding in the park.
Her sons are both in their early 20s.
“One of my sons escaped the park and called the police. He came running home [Galina’s house] where we washed his bleeding head.
“What made it worse was the police never chased any offenders who were all in the park when the police arrived.
“And thereafter ambulances never arrived. We were told there was a shortage of ambulances.
“Police took [the victims] to hospital where they had to wait 8.5 hours to get doctors’ reports,” she said.
Stuff
A victim told Stuff he couldn’t see properly as one of his eyes was still bleeding- five days after the incident.
One of Galina’s sons, who requested anonymity, told Stuff it was difficult for him to see because his right eye was still bleeding – five days after the incident.
“I was hit in the back of the head and in the side of the head. I was scratched all the way down my back and chest. My shirt was torn,” he said.
“They pulled my girlfriend’s hair and pushed her down on the ground.”
He says they waited more than 8 hours to see a doctor and get scans at Auckland City Hospital.
“When I was called for a CT scan [in Auckland City Hospital], it was around 8.30-9 in the morning.
“Luckily, the scan said there was nothing internal. I have got a head injury, my nose is fractured and I have a concussion.”
Stuff
One of the victims put up a safety notice at Myers Park on Wednesday.
The victim said his group of friends decided to meet in Auckland CBD for a first get-together after Christmas, but the incident had left his family dispondent.
“We feel really hopeless living in central Auckland, let alone unprotected, in a continuing whirlpool of crime nobody cares about,” Galina said.
“Can we really call New Zealand a first world country where crime is so apparent? There are no ambulances and hospitals take more than eight hours to check the victims of a crime,” she said.
The police confirmed they attended an assault at the park on Friday.
“An 18-year-old was arrested and charged in relation to the incident,” they said.
“He was remanded on bail and is next due in Auckland District Court on January 9.”
Police provided medical assistance to the victim of the assault and transported him to Auckland City Hospital, they said.
A Te Whatu Ora spokesperson for Te Toka Tumai said while they couldn’t comment on individual patient care in order to protect patient privacy, they were proud of the work their teams do delivering emergency care to our community.
A Te Whatu Ora spokesperson for Te Toka Tumai said they couldn’t comment on individual patients in order to protect privacy.
“When our emergency departments are busy, it means that sometimes patients may experience longer waiting times than they or we would like,” they said.
“We always prioritise care so that those who need urgent care will be seen quicker than those with less serious illnesses.”
