Young person seriously injured at chaotic Auckland party undergoes surgery

Sunday, 29 March 2026

A young person seriously injured at a party in Auckland on Friday night remains in hospital following surgery, police say.

Four people were taken to Auckland City Hospital after another group turned up at the party, held at what neighbours said was a short-term rental property, brandishing machetes. Two people were run over.

Police, firefighters and ambulance staff rushed to the incident on Phyllis St in Mt Albert about 9.24pm on Friday. Around 70 to 100 people were at the party, Stuff understands.

Neighbours have expressed frustration with the property being listed on short-stay accommodation platforms, which they said has led to wild parties in the past.

Do you know more? Email newstips@stuffdigital.co.nz

On Sunday, Senior Sergeant Anthony Darvill said investigators were “working diligently to identify those responsible and hold them to account for their actions”.

“I want to reassure people that we are working as hard as we can to get to the bottom of what happened,” he said.

Police earlier said a vehicle was driven toward a group of partygoers, injuring two people, while two others were injured at other points during the event.

Several witnesses on Friday told Stuff a group of people armed with machetes turned up to the party, and a Stuff reporter at the scene said there were “dozens” of teenagers around.

‘Cheap and easy’ events

Phyllis St resident Rosemarie Powell told RNZ that Friday’s incident was a symptom of a broader issue around short-term rentals.

“It is cheap and easy for teenagers to book this property for one night to have a house party that, as demonstrated last night and many times before, can get quickly out of hand,” she told RNZ.

“Neither the landlord nor the people booking the house have connections with the neighbourhood and community, there is no oversight or accountability if there is underaged drinking or drugs being consumed.”

Powell said there was little sense of accountability with those involved able to leave without facing the community the next day.

Another neighbour, Anna McKessar, told RNZ that previous parties at the properties had “turned into this massive thing” causing damage to cars and fences along the street.

“It’s pretty upsetting for neighbours, and the person that owns those properties has never shown up, never apologised, and shown no remorse,” McKessar said.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the party was held at an Airbnb.