A 39-year-old man had to be taken to hospital on Friday night after he entered the Kuripuni Sports Bar at 8.50pm armed with a machete.
“The man was at the bar earlier on and had an altercation with some other people in the bar,” Wairarapa Police area prevention manager Gill Flower told the Times-Age.
“He unfortunately made a bad decision and went to his car, got a machete, and then re-entered the bar.
“He re-appeared in the bar and threatened four or five other people.”
Flower said that the patrons involved, as well as bar staff, tried to disarm the man – “and “rightly so”.
However, after he was disarmed, the man sustained injuries, she said.
“Some of the people did just enough to get the machete off him but, unfortunately, two people went over the top and assaulted him after the machete had already been taken away.
“We know who the two people are and are investigating the matter now and having discussions with them.”
The man who had wielded the machete was taken to Wairarapa Hospital to be treated for his injuries.
“Once he has received treatment, he will be dealt with,” Flower said.
“He will be arrested and charged with possession of an offensive weapon.”
Jonh Prendergast, the chief executive of Trust House, which owns the Kuripuni Sports Bar, said the man was not a known or regular customer at the venue.
“He was subdued by one of our staff members who showed considerable courage in confronting the perpetrator and preventing harm to any other customers or staff,” Prendergast said.
“Our staff restrained the perpetrator until police were able to get to the scene and deal with him, along with some others who had an altercation with the perpetrator.
“Other patrons in the bar at the time of the incident were moved by our staff to another part of the building for their safety while the incident was being dealt with.”
Prendergast said those involved in the incident will be trespassed from Trust House premises.
“The incident was very unfortunate and very out of character for our community oriented Kuripuni Sports Bar,” he said.
“I am grateful for the actions of our staff and the police in dealing swiftly with this one-off incident, and very pleased that no others were harmed.”
