Still from video posted to Facebook showing a vicious assault by two teenage girls on three younger girls in Pukekohe. Photo / Supplied
Still from video posted to Facebook showing a vicious assault by two teenage girls on three younger girls in Pukekohe. Photo / Supplied
Family of one of the teenagers allegedly involved in a brutal attack on several terrified school girls, captured in two sickening videos circulating on social media, have apologised for her actions.
The latest video emerged today showing three girls being viciously beaten in Pukekohe.
The girls are seen cowering together as they are set upon by a group of female attackers, who pick off the three victims one by one, punching them in the head, kicking them and dragging them by the hair.
An earlier video showed a girl being brutally assaulted by at least two attackers outside a Pukekohe school.
Police have since confirmed that the same offenders are involved in both attacks.
Whānau of one of the attackers told the Herald tonight they are deeply and sincerely apologetic for the pain she had inflicted on the girls.
"We are so sorry for it all," they said.
"In no shape or form was she raised like this, we will work with police, and Oranga Tamariki to put plans in place for what we can do to help her learn her lesson."
An aunt of one of the young victims spoke to Newshub tonight and said the 11-year-olds in the first video are shy, polite and quiet girls who have been traumatised and are afraid to go out.
The girls had been wrongly accused of taking photos of the offenders, the aunt, who didn't want to be named to try to protect the victim's identity, said.
She also said that all three suffered extensive injuries, and her niece was badly bruised along her body and across her face. The other victims suffered a chipped tooth, delayed concussions, black eyes and extensive bruising.
The physical pain was coupled with severe emotional trauma, the aunt told Newshub.
"Anger is the first emotion, and then you just feel really sad, I mean it's sad for the girls assaulted, but I actually feel sad for the girls who have done it, to think what has caused this.
"I feel mortified for the girls, I can't imagine being in that video with everyone watching it as they are."
'Extremely concerned'
Police said they are aware of both videos circulating online and have asked people to stop sharing them because of their graphic content.
Police also said they were extremely concerned about the level of violence and confirmed the attacks shown in both videos were linked.
Counties Manukau South Area Commander Inspector Joe Hunter said most of the offenders were involved in both attacks.
A friend of the girl being beaten up in first video said it was hard to explain how the victim felt after being "on blast all over social media without people even thinking how it makes her feel".
A girl is attacked by two other teenagers outside a school in Pukekohe. Photo / Supplied
"It should have been censored. She is traumatised and I hate how this will impact the whole world who comes across this disgusting video because we're all not like this.
"But imagine coming home from school to three girls attacking you for something you had no control over.
"I have never seen my home town like this; we all have a lot of love for each other. It breaks my heart that this poor girl has to fear being seen again because girls thought it was okay to do this to her.
"She also doesn't know who's out to get her next because of how viral the video is going."
'I don't want to fight'
In the latest video, three girls appear to be lined up against a wall near the BNZ Pukekohe. Each victim is targeted one by one, having to watch as their peers are viciously beaten next to them.
Two girls can be seen taking numerous swings at the victims as they stand facing the camera.
The video begins with one victim saying "I'm so sorry, I don't want to fight - please," before a girl standing next to her is kicked in the face.
The second girl is then punched at least seven times in the head in the footage.
One victim can be seen left standing, as two other girls approach her and chase her and out of the frame of the video.
The footage then cuts to show one girl dragging a victim by her hair back into view of the camera. She then smacks her across the head, kicks her with her knee, and punches her in the head, before pulling her to and fro by her hair.
The video has at least 25,000 views in one Facebook post. It is also circulating on TikTok. Social media users have condemned the senseless violence, calling on the attackers to be arrested and held accountable.
Pukekohe High School principal Richard Barnett said the school's senior management identified the teenagers involved and sent their names to the police. However, Barnett said the people in the video were not students of Pukekohe High.
The attack happened outside the grounds of Pukekohe North Primary School. They were not students of that school either.
Pukekohe North Primary School principal Jim Stafford-Bush said: "The school believes they are likely to attend the local high schools and are hopeful the school concerned will address the conduct of these students."
Inspector Hunter said police were very concerned by the violence shown in the videos and asked the community to cease sharing them any further.
He said police were following positive lines of inquiry and supporting the victims and their families.
"We are also working with our community and our partner agencies who hold a key role in the wider response due to the age of those involved in the offending.
"I can reassure the public that we take this offending very seriously."
