Four detained in Australia after fight in Darwin — ABC News Australia
Police in Australia’s Northern Territory detained four people following a mass brawl in the Nightcliff suburb of Darwin. According to police, a 30-year-old man from Wadeye suffered skull fractures and severe injuries to his face and legs and is currently in critical condition.
As ABC News Australia reports, the incident occurred on Monday afternoon. Police said that about 30 people got off a bus in Nightcliff and took part in a large altercation. According to law enforcement, some participants had poles, rocks and axes.
Four people in custody
Police allege that the 30-year-old man was knocked to the ground and repeatedly beaten by several people. Law enforcement charged a 17-year-old girl from Wadeye with intent to cause serious harm. Three men from Wadeye, aged 21, 29 and 43, were also detained. All four remain in custody.
An unnamed witness who saw the altercation from the nearby Salvos Opportunity Shop said staff placed the store into lockdown. According to him, the violence he saw was shocking, and he felt unsafe in the suburb’s shopping area.
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Search for other participants
Police continue to search for other people who may have been involved in the brawl. ABC News Australia notes that many suspected participants in the altercation were from the remote community of Wadeye, located about 500 kilometres southwest of Darwin.
Acting Superintendent Josh Cunningham said that a period of heightened unrest is continuing in Wadeye. Earlier in the week, according to police, up to 100 people took part in unrest while armed with compound bows, spears and metal objects. One 22-year-old man suffered severe injuries after he was allegedly struck in the back with a trident spear, police said.
Additional police officers were deployed to the community. During a four-day operation, they seized 107 litres of alcohol and half a kilogram of cannabis. Wadeye is subject to an alcohol ban, and additional police forces remain there to help restore calm.
