Nine people have been arrested after a man was seriously injured in a violent assault in Tauranga on Saturday night.
Police were called at around 6:50pm to reports of an altercation on Willow Street.
"A group of people approached a man at a bus stop and following a verbal exchange, the man was allegedly assaulted by the group," a police spokesperson says.
"The people are not known to each other. The man received serious injuries and was transported to hospital."
A 20-year-old man is due to appear in Tauranga District Court on Monday charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The rest of the group will undergo a youth process. Police are still working to find another person believed to be involved.
"Police hope these quick arrests demonstrate our commitment to holding those responsible to account," the police spokesperson says.
"Everyone in our community deserves to go about their lives safely and feeling safe.
"We would also like to thank those members of the public who witnessed the incident and acted quickly to call emergency services and provide help to the victim."
