A hunt for a group involved in an attack on two men is underway as footage of the ‘brutal and cowardly’ alleged assault is released by police.
The footage of the May 5 assault was previously described by New Zealand police as too graphic for the public.
But it has since aired on Police Ten 7 in an attempt to bring those responsible into custody.
In the footage the two victims are pushed into a shop front before being thrown onto the floor and repeatedly hit and kicked.
One man attempted to roll over to protect himself but was unable to move as he became unconscious.
‘Given the random nature of this attack we believe this could have happened to anyone so it is important we identify these offenders and hold them to account as soon as possible,’ Detective Constable Tom Malcolm of the Auckland City CIB said.
The two victims were walking by a group of three males and two females on Queen Street in Auckland, according to police.
The group were allegedly playing music and the pair complimented the music.
An altercation began between the two groups before the two men walked away.
Police have released images of three men who they would like to speak with in connection to the alleged assault
However they were later allegedly attacked by a group of up to eight men.
New Zealand police said: ‘Both males have been struck repeatedly along the body and hips as well as receiving kicks to the head and face.
‘Both were rendered unconscious by the assault and the attackers were only deterred by members of the public intervening.’
The victims were taken to Auckland Hospital where one was initially assessed as being in a critical condition, said police.
According to police the two victims were walking by a group of three males and two females on Queen Street in Auckland
The group then allegedly split into two.
Police said one group continued up Queen St onto Wellesley St, and the other went onto Victoria St and into Albert St where they were captured on CCTV outside Auckland District Court.
Witness Dennis Leau said he thought one of the victims was dead, according to the New Zealand Herald.
However they were later allegedly attacked by a group of up to eight men
Mr Leau and his friend tried to stop the fight.
He said: ‘There was just us two against a whole group of people, but they looked like little boys.
‘We were throwing them all off as some were kicking and some were standing over the top and throwing punches.’
Police have released images of three men who they would like to speak with in connection to the assault.
All three men are described by police as Pacific Islander.
Witness Dennis Leau said he thought one of the victims was dead, according to the New Zealand Herald
One was wearing a ‘yellow coloured hoodie, black puffer vest and camouflage print shorts’.
Another was described as having worn ‘grey baseball top that reads ‘Bethesda 19′ on the back, grey shorts and a black cap’.
The third man was described by police as wearing ‘a tan coloured shirt, open with white t-shirt underneath with black trousers and black shoes’.
Police hope anyone with information will come forward.