A Hamilton mother is fearing for her family’s safety after her teenage son was brutally attacked and stabbed outside Fraser High School earlier this week.
According to a report by RNZ, the incident occurred around 12.45 p.m. on Monday, October 20, when the 16-year-old student was walking to his car parked on Waimarie Street, just outside the school grounds. According to his mother, Lady-Joe TangataTerekia, her son was confronted by “two carloads of men wearing balaclavas” who circled the area before ambushing him.
“There were six of them that tried to abduct him,” TangataTerekia told RNZ. “He just felt all this punching to his face, and they were trying to pull him into a vehicle. It happened so fast that he didn’t even realise he’d been stabbed,” RNZ quoted.
The boy suffered multiple stab wounds and underwent surgery for a perforated colon. He was discharged from the hospital on Friday and is now recovering at home, though his mother says the attack has left him deeply shaken.
“Just imagine if he was stabbed in the chest, it could have been instant death,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine losing any of my babies; they’re my world,” as quoted by RNZ.
According to RNZ, TangataTerekia described her son as a gentle, soft-hearted teenager, “a big teddy bear”, who stands 1.93 metres tall and prefers peace over confrontation. “He’s such a lover, not a fighter. He was at church school that very morning,” she said.
Police confirmed they were called to the scene shortly after the assault and are continuing to investigate. The incident is currently being treated as an assault, not an attempted kidnapping.
Meanwhile, the attack has left the TangataTerekia whānau deeply shaken. The mother of 11 said she kept two of her younger teenagers home from school last week, fearing for their safety. Her older sons have flown from Australia to support the family.
“I feel fearful... you don’t know what the intention was,” she said. “Did they come to do what they needed to do?”, quoted RNZ.
In a public plea posted to Facebook, TangataTerekia urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward. “If you are involved, or if you know something, please understand we are an open, loving whānau,” she wrote. “If there’s something to be sorted or a misunderstanding, we’re open to kōrero and understand,” as quoted by RNZ.
She expressed disappointment that the attackers appeared to be from within their own community. “The sad thing is it’s our own people. We’ve already gone through enough, but yet we’re trying to kill each other off,” she said. “It’s about love, about being kind, and about lifting each other as a community,” RNZ reported.
Police said enquiries are ongoing and urged anyone who witnessed the assault or has relevant information to contact them immediately.
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