A Tonga College student is now in a critical condition in Vaiola Hospital, after sustaining serious head injuries last night during an attack by a rival group of students who targeted a home where he stayed at Tofoa.

Police Commissioner Grant O’Fee said this afternoon that one individual was critically injured, while another student sustained serious injuries and both are in hospital.

“I do not regard this as a school fight. We are investigating a very serious criminal offending and this is not a game. The people of Tonga should not look to the police to solve this issue, as this is Tonga’s and everyone’s issue.”

Tonga Police are detaining in custody 147 students from Tupou College and want to keep them locked-up over the weekend as investigation continues.

The police have sought a court order from the Magistrate’s Court to detain the 147 suspects in police custody until Monday, July 22. Parents and guardians of students at the Tongatapu District are asked to make sure their children remain in the school compound during school, he said.

Attack

The Deputy Police Commissioner ‘Unga Fa’aoa said the way the attack was carried out was horrific. A group entered the Tofoa house and smashed it before they tried setting it on fire while residents were inside. He said it was believed that a mother and her children were inside the house at the time, but an investigation would continue to determine the exact number of people present.

“I received a report from the principal of Tupou College around 10:00pm last night that many of their senior students were missing. Police officers were posted to the usual areas we suspected they would target, including guarding the Tonga College compound and an area at Veitongo. However, the group of students targeted the home at Tofoa,” he said.

The Deputy Police Commmissioner believed some of the students set out on foot from Tupou College to Tofoa while others got a ride. But the group is believed to have assembled at one area before they executed their move to the home, he said.

The police received the report of the attack from a resident at the Tofoa area.

He said noone had been charged at this stage as the investigation continued.

ADPC Soakai Motu‘apuaka, Police Commissioner Grant O’Fee and DPC ‘Unga Fa’aoa. 19 July 2013.