‘Supposed to be safe’: Boy’s alleged Alice Springs axe attack

Police have provided an update after a 16-year-old boy was allegedly ambushed on his walk home in Alice Springs and attacked with an axe.

An Alice Springs mum says her town has become a “nightmare” after her 16-year-old son was allegedly ambushed by three teens and attacked with an axe on Monday night.

According to his mother Nanfom, the boy was on his usual evening walk around the park just after 5.45pm Monday when three alleged attackers approached.

“My 16 years old boy has (allegedly) been attacked by three indigenous kids this afternoon around the Braitling area,” she posted online.

“They had an axe and hit my son multiple times in his face, stomach, leg, and other parts of his body.

She said police and ambulance attended soon after.

NT Police confirmed a 16-year-old male was later arrested after an alleged assault with an “edged weapon”.

The teenager is expected to be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act 2005.

A teenage boy was taken to hospital after an alleged axe attack on Monday afternoon. Picture: Facebook

Nanfom told news.com.au her son was released from the hospital after fortunately not breaking any bones or receiving lacerations.

“He was very sore in the left shoulder and the left leg where the axe is hit him, but a CAT scan last night at hospital showed nothing broken, thank God,” she said.

He returned to school as usual today.

Nanfom said she was saddened by such a vicious alleged attack in her community.

“Community is supposed to be a safe environment where you live, and you should be feeling safe around not to get attacked,” she said.

“This town has become a nightmare to everybody.”

Nanform shared the warning to social media following her son’s attack.

Alice Springs is in the grips of a crime crisis. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au

Alice Springs has found itself in the national spotlight for the last fortnight as crime spirals out of control – widely linked to a lift of grog restrictions in mid-2022.

Restrictions on grog sales have been rolled out across the Northern Territory following a fly-in, fly-out response from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday.

Takeaway alcohol-free days have been brought in, while on other days, traders can only sell takeaway alcohol between 3pm and 7pm, with a one transaction per person per day limit.

Mounted police patrol Alice Springs. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au

The government is also urgently reviewing the decision to lift alcohol bans on communities and town camps.

Mr Albanese, promised the Territory $48.8m over two years for a range of measures, including $14.2m for high-visibility policing aimed at sly-grogging and liquor license compliance.