Source: Radio New Zealand
The owner of a small town store in coastal Northland has been left with a fractured shoulder after an alleged assault by a customer in broad daylight.
Dallas Gurney, once the boss of short-lived news station Today FM, was left with a fractured shoulder after being pushed off the deck of the Whananaki General Store which he runs and owns with his wife Donna Gurney.
Gurney said the incident, which happened on Sunday evening, had shown the need for more police in the large Northland area.
The attack had come “out of the blue”, Gurney said in a post on the website of his community radio station Whananaki FM.
Dallas Gurney was pushed off the deck of his Whananaki Store from behind. DALLAS GURNEY / SUPPLIED
“What happened was I was pushed off our deck. It was an impressive shove that sent me a couple of metres into the air before landing on the concrete.
“They were part of a wider group these two scumbags, including their own kids which was pretty sad. They were very, very drunk which I didn’t realise straight away.”
Gurney said the two men had been swearing at loud volumes so he asked them to “keep it civil” as it was a family store.
“One of them told me to f… off, so I told them they needed to leave now. Then – someone who I now know to be his twin brother – came around behind me and pushed me off the deck.”
Gurney said the group then took their food and headed off laughing at what they had done.
“While I was on the phone with 111 they were joking with each other about finishing me off.”
Gurney said police were unable to attend until Monday as they were too busy, despite the group staying in a tent just a few hundred metres from the store.
A local officer had stopped by on Monday, Gurney said, and he wanted to make it clear he had “no beef” with the police.
He said police knew who the alleged offenders were and he would leave it with them to decide what happened next.
Gurney had seen a doctor on Tuesday and his arm was now in a sling as he had fractured one of the bones in his shoulder.
He thanked everyone at the shop who came to his aid and said to any customers who were present he was “incredibly sorry”.
“This is not Whananaki behaviour… Your night was spoiled and this behaviour is so counter to the family atmosphere we have tried to nurture at the store the rest of the time.
“Please do come back another time so we can shout you tea to make up for it.”
He believed the two men involved would have some regret for what happened.
“I wonder how powerful they’re feeling today and if they’re still laughing at what they did to me. I expect not.”
Whangārei-Kaipara Area Commander Inspector Maria Nordstrom confirmed police were investigating the alleged assault. She said a serious firearms incident was reported at the same time which meant police could not immediately dispatch a unit to Whananaki.
“As police we must prioritise our demands with calls for service, prioritising events based on risk at that time.
“A decision was made based on priority and the risk posed to the wider community to deploy staff to the Dargaville incident.”
Nordstorm said a local officer went to the scene on Monday and took a statement from Gurney and they were now working to speak with those involved.
“I have spoken with the victim today to provide him reassurance that this matter will be dealt with.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand