Two police officers hospitalised with head injuries after Acacia Ridge party-goers beat them with bricks in "cowardly attack"
The Sunday Mail
March 17, 2013 4:47PMT
Given here is no reference to these two officers been "Affirmative Action" Appointees, I have to wonder why two armed fully appointed and physically able Male Police Officers were "Run out of Dodge" by a Mob of Drunk / Drug Stuffed Teenagers.
Thank God it was not a call for help from a Rape / attempted Murder victim.
TWO injured policemen pelted with bricks by teens were rescued by fellow officers, who dragged them onto a bus before demanding driver to take off.
UPDATE: AN IMAGE of a man police wish to speak to regarding an incident in Acacia Ridge overnight where two policeman were attacked with bricks has been released.
The man is described as being Caucasian with a solid build and aged between 17 and 20.
He has short blonde hair, blue eyes and was wearing a blue shirt.
Police are calling on any members of the Acacia Ridge community that may have information which could assist in their investigation to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or the Acacia Ridge Police.
TWO injured policemen pelted with bricks by out-of-control party goers were heroically rescued by fellow officers, who dragged them on board a council bus and shouted for the driver to take off.
Bleeding from the head, the officers were on the ground surrounded by the violent group when their two colleagues picked them up and got them onto the Brisbane City Council bus.
Detective Inspector Geoff Acreman said the two crews had been called to Marnham St in Acacia Ridge at 11pm to a party that had been advertised on Facebook.
The party, with more than 200 people in attendance - had already had two visits from police before being shut down on the third occasion.
A large group from the party moved to a nearby bus stop.
Det Insp Acreman said a bus arrived soon after and the group of youths surrounded it, climbing on board and kicking out windows from inside.
"A large contingent of youths did get onto the bus and start creating damage to the bus from inside and then a number of people from outside also started damaging that bus," he said.
Police arrived soon after and two officers jumped on board the bus to arrest a youth who was kicking the windows.
"A number of police then also attended as well and two young officers attended and as they were trying to go towards the bus, they were hit in the head with the Besser Blocks," Det Insp Acreman said.
"Those two officers sustained some fairly significant injuries.
"At that stage the officers on the bus decided to drag those two officers, who had fallen, onto the bus and directed the bus driver to shut the doors and drive the bus from the area."
Another eighteen police cars were sent to the scene to take control of the crowd.
"At the time it was becoming quite a violent situation," Det Insp Acreman said.
"One officer has received a fairly significant gash to his face which required eight stitches and the other officer received stitches to his face but also he has received facial fractures which will require ongoing surgery and plastic surgery to treat those injuries."
He said police were now reviewing footage taken from the mobile phones of some of the revellers.
"This was very cowardly," Det Insp Acreman said.
"These are people who stood behind the crowd and were throwing rocks over people to hit these officers in the head.
"And from the reports we've got so far, there were a number of rocks thrown at the officers before one actually did hit them - so it wasn't accidental by any stretch.
"It could have killed them."
At noon, it was reported that a teen who hosted an out-of-control party in Brisbane's southern suburbs last night, which resulted in two police officers being taken to hospital and a council bus damaged, said he "had fun" but it escalated into violence when police arrived to shut it down early.
The party, which was held at a house in Marnham Street at Acacia Ridge, was attended by more than 250 revellers - many of them teens - after details were publicised on Facebook.
"I just had a bit of a party and it got shut down a bit too early and people weren't too happy and they went and had fun and do what kids do," said Jordan Fuller, 17.
"People were on the bus, then the coppers got on the bus and then everyone just started throwing bricks and stuff at the bus."
While Mr Fuller said he did not join in attacking the council bus or the police, he admitted his parents were not happy with what occurred.
He confirmed they were at the house at the time of the party.
"I'm giving mum a bit of time because she is a bit stressed," he said.
The family refused to comment.
One 16-year-old party-goer, who asked only to known as Mikayla, said she returned to the party last night after she was arrested and met at the police station by her parents.
"I just wanted to see what was going on and to see if it was still going," she said.
According to neighbours, council workers worked through the hours of Sunday morning to clean-up the scene, disposing of the empty glass bottles and bricks that had been pelted at police just hours earlier.
Neighbours stood around talking to each other, shaking their heads in disbelief as they compared experiences.
"It was scary. I was trying to put my children to bed during all the loud music and it was challenging," said one neighbour, who asked to not be named.
Another neighbour, Dilshad Ako, who lives across from the bus stop where the council bus was smashed, said initially only two or three marked police cars arrived at the scene last night but called for back-up as they battled for control.
"We thought when the bus comes they might move but when it did a huge number of people arrived and they threw bottles and bricks and smashed the bus," he said.
"Later, a huge number of police cars arrived - at least 20 - and they separated the people. But after some time they came back.
"We didn't come out we just looked through the curtains."
Earlier, it was reported that a police officer remains in hospital with a fractured eye socket after a party of more than 250 young people turned violent in Brisbane's south overnight.
A second officer was released from hospital this morning following the overnight incident, which saw the two officers pelted with rocks and bottles when they tried to help the driver of a council bus caught up in the violence.
The bus was on a routine stop at Acacia Ridge, in Brisbane's south, when thugs from the nearby party in Marnham St attacked the vehicle, smashing the back window.
Police media said both officers were taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with head injuries.
One officer received 8 stitches to his head and was released this morning, while the other received four stitches to his head and a fractured eye socket. He will remain in hospital for assessment.
Regional Duty Officer for Metropolitan South Inspector Steve Flori confirmed two officers suffered injuries in the "cowardly attack."
"Around 11.15pm police were called to a large party in Acacia Ridge, where there was in excess of 250 people," he said.
"Some of the party-goers became volatile and two officers from Inala station were attacked."
Inspector Flori said the party-goers ranged in age from 16 to 25 years-old.
The details of the party had been leaked to social media and the majority in attendance were unknown to the person hosting the party, he said.
"The host of the party was sober and disgusted," he said.
More than 15 police units from the south side were dispatched to the incident.
Public posts could be found online last night promoting the "open house" party, with several different people advertising a $5 entry fee to the event, which featured a DJ.
Inspector Flori asked the community to help to catch the perpetrators.
"We are asking that the close-knit community of Acacia Ridge help us find the people responsible for this cowardly attack," he said.
"They could come forward and contact either the Acacia Ridge Police or Crime Stoppers anonymously."
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Police also attended a Facebook party in Mansfield last night.
Officers were tipped off by online posts and sent crews to patrol the streets.
Alcohol was confiscated from a large number of underage drinkers, a police spokesman said.
