Teen 'almost disembowelled' by attacker

Photo / File

A 17-year-old who was "almost disembowelled" when he was knifed by another teenager in Whangarei early on Saturday was millimetres from having a vital organ punctured, a witness says.

The victim was placed into an induced coma after the stabbing on Kendon Place, Raumanga.

Police said the 19-year-old alleged attacker was a "gatecrasher" at a party on the street but Brenda Cork, who lives in the house where the victim was before the incident, said this was wrong and the offender never tried to get in.

The incident occurred down the road, she said.

The victim had been drinking with Ms Cork's son and a few of his friends at her home when they heard three teenagers outside "yelling abuse and racial comments at us".

"[The victim] went up to one of the guys and I thought he punched him but as it turned out he had stabbed him."

Fortunately, there was an ambulance attending an unrelated matter on the street at the time.

"He ran into the house where the ambulance staff were and he collapsed on the ground and the ambulance staff had to Gladwrap him.

"The knife had just missed all his vital organs by millimetres."

The victim was no longer in a coma and was being supported by family, Ms Cork said

The alleged offender appeared in Whangarei District Court on Saturday charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.