Police were called and a person was hospitalised in the incident. Photo / File
Police were called and a person was hospitalised in the incident. Photo / File
A man whose ear was split in half in a dance floor bashing at a comedy fundraiser for an Auckland primary school says he has no memory of the attack.
Police are still investigating the brawl at the star-studded fundraiser for Balmoral primary and intermediate school last month, featuring Kiwicomics including Guy Williams and Guy Montgomery.
Officers are yet to make an arrest or lay charges and have now issued an appeal for help from witnesses.
Exactly what led multiple people to attack on the man late on August 27 at the Mt Eden War Memorial hall remains murky.
The victim, who requested anonymity, told the Herald his memory only goes up to about ten to fifteen minutes before the attack, and is blank for about the same time after that.
The man also suffered fractures to his upper jaw bone and nose.
Billed by the PTA as "our most fun adult event on the calendar," tickets for the R18 show went for $55 per person or $440 for a table of eight, with bar service throughout the night.
The main part of the evening reportedly went well and the comedians had all left by about 10pm.
The Balmoral School Standup Comedy Show poster. Photo / Supplied
PTA member Scott Blanks, director of downtown Auckland comedy club The Classic, said he was helping to pack up when a commotion erupted.
"There's always going to be one person that disagrees with another person," he said.
A note from the chair of the Balmoral board of trustees to the school community described the incident as an altercation and said people were injured.
"On Saturday night at a PTA fundraising event, there was an altercation, and people were injured as a result. We are concerned for the well-being of those harmed in this incident," the note said.
"The board in no way condones violence and takes this matter very seriously.
"For it to happen at an event that was put on to develop community relationships is disappointing. We are also aware of how saddened the organisers feel too."
The board planned to carry out a full review of the incident in due course, the note said.
Balmoral School principal Malcolm Milner earlier told the Herald he had left as soon as the comedians finished but had received a report on the incident from the PTA organisers.
That report had been given to the police, he said.
"From my point of view, it's a police matter and they are investigating it," Milner said.
Police had spent more than an hour talking to one of the organisers from the PTA about the incident, he understood.
"It wasn't a mass brawl, from my interpretation," he said.
"But one person did require hospital treatment.
"And I believe there was more than two involved."
Milner said there were people at the event unconnected to the school community.
Balmoral School Principal Malcolm Milner did not shy away from addressing the incident when approached by the Herald. The fight occurred at an adults only fundraising event off school grounds. File Photo / Dean Purcell
"It was a public event in a public hall, it just happened to be organised by our PTA," he said.
"It's really unfortunate that this happened and the PTA responded in the appropriate manner, they got the names of everybody involved, they got medical treatment to the person who was injured."
A police spokeswoman earlier confirmed they received a report regarding the incident about 11.20pm on the night of the show. No one has been charged.
The spokeswoman said the report came from a witness to the incident.
Police said on Wednesday, just over a month on from the incident, that their inquiries continue.
Anyone with information was asked to contact police via the 105 line quoting file number 220829/4615.
