Boy, 14, speared in back amid escalating tensions in outback NT town

Police say 14yo boy speared in back, airlifted for treatment amid escalating tensions in Ngukurr Northern Territory Police are investigating a series of disturbances in Ngukurr after a 14-year-old boy was speared in the back on Saturday afternoon. In a statement this morning, an NT Police spokesperson said officers received multiple reports of a large disturbance involving members of two family groups in the town 500 kilometres south-east of Darwin on Friday evening. They said some of those involved were allegedly armed with weapons but no injuries were reported. "Tensions escalated during Saturday afternoon, with police receiving further reports of disturbances involving weapons," they said. "At around 5:35pm, police received a report that a 14-year-old boy had been speared in the middle of his back." The spokesperson said police spoke with the boy and his family at the local health clinic before he was airlifted for treatment by CareFlight in a stable condition. "Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disturbances and are working closely with community elders and local leadership groups to de-escalate tensions and prevent further incidents," they said.