Daylight Tokoroa brawl results in three arrests
An axe and chainsaw were used in a violent daylight brawl in Tokoroa’s town centre, resulting in three arrests.
Tokoroa Police senior Sergeant Jason Henderson said the brawl broke out around midday on Monday in Leith Place, Tokoroa’s main shopping area off State Highway 1.
‘‘An axe has definitely been used in the brawl between two men but we also had reports of a chainsaw being used which we haven’t yet found,’’ he said.
A local who witnessed the fight, but did not want to be named, said she saw an obese gang member running with a tomahawk axe.
She said vehicles had to stop in the middle of the street as the fight spilled onto the road.
‘‘I had to stop on the road because the little s **** in blue were being chased by a fat man with a tomahawk,’’ she said.
‘‘The person with the axe smashed all the windows on this white car, while a lady was crying hysterically inside. Then it ended by ANZ bank, a street over.’’
The woman said she couldn’t make out the patch the larger man was wearing, but said the group he was chasing with the axe were wearing blue bandanas.
‘‘When I managed to leave it looked like the guy with the axe got beaten by the guys in blue, they were yelling Yo and the fat guy’s back looked red and cut up.
‘‘What made it worse was the Intercity bus stopped and there were so many out-of-towners watching this embarrassing mess unfold. These stupid idiots shouldn’t be concerned with banging each other over the head, they should think about banging a job.’’
Henderson said police quickly arrested the two men and one other who they believed were involved in the brawl.
‘‘No one has been injured but three people have been arrested. The third person looks to have come in after the event so we are not sure what their exact involvement is at this stage,’’ he said.
He said the men had gang affiliations and further arrests were likely to follow but it was too early to determine the cause of the incident.
Henderson said police were currently working out what exactly took place to determine what, if any, charges would be laid.
Phone the station on 885 0100 with information.