Kung fu dad confronts knife-wielding youth after attack in west Auckland park

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

An Avondale father skilled in kung fu confronted a group of youths who hospitalised his son’s friend in a random attack.

Matua Ngarino had a knife pulled on him in Avondale’s Riversdale Park after confronting a group of boys who he believed had attacked a 12-year-old a few days prior.

The attack had sent the boy, who had been at the park with Ngarino’s sons, to Starship Hospital and made his own sons afraid of going outside, Ngarino said.

“The boys surrounded me, and one pulled a knife. I gave him the opportunity to walk away before they all got hurt.

“With my background in wing chung kung fu I was ready for the unexpected. I warned them a second time to walk away from the situation, they hesitated at first, but they came to their senses and walked away.”

Back in 1989, Ngarino said he had trained in wing chung kung fu in Christchurch, and while he had taught his children to walk away from confrontation, said he knew how to defend himself.

Wing chung kung fu is a form of self-defence requiring quick arm movements and strong kicks to defeat opponents.

While at the park Ngarino took photographs of the boys he believed were involved and sent them to police.


Read more of Melanie Earley's story here:

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