Facebook brawl ends in knifing

By Leigh van der Stoep 5:30 AM Sunday Oct 31, 2010

A student at a top Auckland school has been arrested after stabbing another teenager during a public fight organised online.

The Herald on Sunday understands that a group of young people showed up at a North Shore underground carpark to watch and video the brawl last weekend.

It is understood the fight was over a girl and had been organised through Facebook.

Sources close to the school said there was widespread talk about the incident and clips of the "fight club" style event had since been pulled from the internet.

As the fight continued, the 16-year-old who was arrested allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed his opponent, also 16, causing lacerations.

The victim was taken to North Shore Hospital and sent home shortly afterwards.

Police confirmed to the Herald on Sunday they had charged the youth with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He is due to appear in the Youth Court next week.

It is at least the fourth time in recent years that school pupils have been involved in fights which have been filmed and posted online.

Last year, a schoolgirl at James Cook High in South Auckland was suspended for seven days after she was filmed attacking another female pupil.

A few months earlier a 13-year-old Tauranga boy was filmed being beaten up by three others at his secondary school.

In 2008, Takapuna Grammar student Toran Henry, 17, took his own life after being referred to youth mental health services following a self-harm attempt.

His mother Maria Bradshaw said he was embarrassed that a video of him being bashed by schoolmates was posted on the internet.

The principal of the school involved in the latest incident, which cannot be named for legal reasons, said the school was disappointed to hear about the fight.

"While a weekend event and beyond our jurisdiction, the students' schools support the police in their investigation enabling those involved to realise the consequences of their actions."

The principal did not respond when asked whether the alleged offender had been suspended from school.

From: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10684263