Waikato Expressway attack: Expert on the gang involved, risk to public

The gang involved in last week's attack on the Waikato Expressway have been at the centre of some of the biggest changes in the NZ gang scene, but an expert says law-abiding Kiwis shouldn't panic about the headline-grabbing nature of the broad daylight assault.

As the victim of the attack fights for his life in hospital, author and consultant Jarrod Gilbert told the Herald that gang attacks involving the public were incredibly rare.

Who are the Tribesmen?

Gilbert said the Tribesmen gang formed in the early 1980s and had the dubious distinction of being at the vanguard of two of the biggest innovations in the NZ gang landscape - and on the receiving end of a major change in the scene.

The first trend they fronted was their push to establish tinnie houses in 1990s, which he said was the first genuine widespread move of gangs into "organised criminal activity" by selling cannabis through the underground network.

A decade later, the gang was thrust into the spotlight when it established the Killer Beez, an LA-style street gang that acted as a feeder gang.

He described that as a shrewd move to address a patched gang scene that was shrinking at the time, catering to a youth whose tastes had shifted away from the traditional gangs.

A Tribesman gang member is arrested and handcuffed in central Auckland. Photo / Herald Archives

The Killer Beez dominated headlines in the 2000s but their explosion in popularity would later come back to bite the Tribesmen, leading to internal tensions that exploded into violence.

The arrival of Australian gangs in the 2010s had a significant impact on the Tribesmen, who lost many established members when they "patched over" to join the Rebels.

Gilbert said the arrival of the Rebels in 2011 had the effect of "reviving" the outlaw motorcycle scene, but at the direct expense of the Tribesmen.

The Australian gang's recruitment of patched Tribesmen members sparked a rivalry that has since been fuelled by the arrival of so-called 501s, New Zealand criminals deported from Australia.

The growth of the gang scene in recent years can also be seen through the Tribesmen's more recent spread around the motu, Gilbert said.

Traditionally based in South Auckland, the forestry towns of the Bay of Plenty and Northland, the gang now has a presence across NZ, including in the South Island, which Gilbert said would have been "absolutely inconceivable" 10 years ago.

Violence against public 'incredibly rare'

Gilbert said the expressway attack, while serious and in need of investigation and prosecution, needed to be kept in perspective as such group rides were commonplace but violence stemming from them was extremely rare.

Gilbert said the violence was unusual and said the brutal attack most likely came about from one of two scenarios.

"One, it's a road-rage incident where a driver did something that displeased the pack. Or, it's a rival. Those are the two most likely scenarios by far."

Gilbert said he had ridden in large packs of gang motorbikes and acknowledged that even their mere presence could be intimidating to law-abiding motorists, but said they should not be concerned and should hold their line as the bikes pass.

"If it's [road rage], if it's a member of the public, then it's incredibly rare. Because the violence within the gang scene tends to exist within the gang scene or the wider criminal fraternities. It's actually quite rare that outsiders get in trouble with gangs."

Gilbert's advice was echoed by Waikato mayor Allan Sanson, who warned anxious motorists not to pull over for gang members.

Sanson also lashed out at the "morons" who horrifically assaulted the motorist and called for greater consequences for violent gang members.

Witnesses told the Herald the man pulled his ute over to check on a biker after he clipped one. He was then surrounded by a large gang of bikies wearing Tribesmen patches on State Highway 1 near Rangiriri.

Police call for video

Police have not yet been able to obtain the victim's account of the roadside attack while he remains in a critical condition, and continue to appeal for public footage.

"If you witnessed this crime and have footage, please take a few minutes to upload what you captured on either your phone or dashcam. This helps police ensure that we have the most accurate information of what happened on the Waikato Expressway on Friday, March 11," said Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley.

They confirmed that the victim was not dragged from his vehicle.

Anyone with electronic recordings of the event to upload them to this link: https://rangiriri.nzpolice.org/.