NZ man killed in Perth named, retribution likely
6:13PM Wednesday November 07, 2007
By Michel Mathew
A New Zealander killed in a bloody Perth brawl was only there on holiday and was set to return to his Turangi home shortly.
Eighteen-year-old Turangi teenager Jon Warena died during a vicious fight between Maori and Aboriginals, thought to be over drugs, in the eastern Perth suburb of Lockbridge.
Two other New Zealander's involved in the fight are in Perth Hospital with serious injuries including stab wounds.
In a Perth children's court today, a 17-year-old, accused of assault with intent to harm Mr Warena, did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody until next Wednesday.
West Australian Premier Alan Carpenter today said lawlessness on Perth's streets was unacceptable.
"We don't want to see that sort of activity at any time, anywhere on the streets of any neighbourhood anywhere in WA," Mr Carpenter told reporters.
"It's completely and utterly unacceptable."
Mihi Betham, public relations officer of Te Arohanui Maori Culture Club in Perth, said the area in which the incident happened has been notorious for violent crimes for some time.
"The incident has nothing to do with racial tensions and it's more to do with a drug deal gone wrong," she told nzherald.co.nz.
"Lockridge has a lot of multi-racial communities and there has never been a history of animosity between the communities.
"In fact, there are a lot of inter-racial families of Maori and Aborgines in the area."
Police were still looking for others believed to have been involved in the bloody brawl.
Local witnesses to the fight say they are certain the two parties will clash again soon.
West Australian police are trying to piece together exactly what happened and three men and a youth were earlier being questioned.
Germain Way in east suburban Lockridge remained cordoned off by police as investigations continued into the brawl, which erupted about 1am.
Weapons, including a bloody picket and bricks, could be seen strewn across the cul-de-sac following the brutal fight between up to 20 rival Aborigines and Maori who had clashed in a dispute over alcohol earlier in the day.
Three seriously injured men, all believed to be Maori, were taken to Royal Perth Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
The 18-year-old later died from his injuries, another is in a serious but stable condition with stab wounds and the third has serious head injuries.
One resident of the area earlier said he believed tension between local Aboriginals and Maori had been simmering.
"There's going to be a fair few problems now that a Maori has been killed," the resident said.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Hunter said the teenager was struck several times, possibly by more than one person.
He said the most of the brawling men had moved on when police arrived in the street to find the badly bleeding man laying on the road.
Officers worked to keep the youth alive until ambulance paramedics arrived.
Mr Hunter said the groups had clashed earlier in the day and were involved in at least one other incident before the brawl.
One group, comprising up to eight men, went to the Germain Way address following the earlier incident in which a window was smashed, he said.
They were confronted by up to 15 people who came out of the house armed with baseball bats and iron bars. Garden gnomes were also used in the fight.
Police patrols would be stepped up in the area tonight amid fears of reprisal attacks.
"Reprisals are always a concern for us," Mr Hunter said.
"Police are working with community groups to encourage a peaceful resolution."
One neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said she was woken by screaming and cars screeching about 1.15am.
"The young folk were going dreadful," the neighbour, who lived in the street for 15 years, said.
The neighbour also said she would not venture out into the street at night, and claimed "all sorts of things" happened at the local park at night.
Some neighbours reported that authorities recently met with residents to discuss the anti-social behaviour of some residents in the street.
That meeting led to the creation of a so-called "Good Neighbour Project".
Mavis Quartermaine, a resident who is also a member of the Lockeridge Progress Association, said trying to find peace in the street had been a constant battle.
Ms Quartermaine said she believed Germain Way was Perth's worst street, and other neighbours reported alcohol-fuelled violence and the dangerous practice of drifting, where illegal street racers slide around corners at high speed.
- with NZPA, AAP, NZ HERALD STAFF
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