By ROSALEEN MACBRAYNE and NZPA
WHAKATANE - A ferocious brawl at a weekend party in Whakatane put six people in hospital, three of them with stab wounds.
Knives, sticks and pieces of metal were used in what Detective Jon McKenzie called a "nightmare."
Two men were in Whakatane Hospital yesterday, one with a punctured lung. One man went to hospital with a knife sticking out of his back.
Twenty-two police were called in to cope with the brawl, which involved gang members.
Detective McKenzie said 10 people went to a house about 3.40 am and allegedly began assaulting partygoers in retaliation for a scuffle three of them were involved in earlier at the same party.
Two police officers were investigating the first incident when the gatecrashers arrived, he said.
"Suddenly, all hell broke loose around them."
Reinforcements were called from Whakatane and Kawerau and nine people were arrested.
The two police caught in the brawl had been busy "watching their backs and trying to defuse multiple incidents."
They were not injured.
The eight men and one woman, aged between 18 and 45, were charged with rioting and were being held in custody, said Detective McKenzie.
Further assault-related charges were likely when they appeared in the Whakatane District Court today.
Detective McKenzie said the brawl could trigger another flare-up of gang violence.
"We certainly have concerns there could be an ongoing situation and we will be policing to prevent that."
In Taupo on Saturday evening, a 29-year-old man was kept in hospital overnight for a stab wound to his arm.
A 36-year-old man has been arrested for assault and more charges may be laid against him in the Taupo District Court today.
In Tauranga, a 26-year-old woman faces a count of wounding with intent to injure after allegedly trying to stab another woman with a knife in the city on Friday night.
She has been given bail to appear in court on Wednesday.
Six in hospital after party turns nasty
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