Shocking footage emerges from Daly River showing extent of unrest

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING. Shocking footage has emerged from Daly River as more residents are speaking up about what the town’s been going through. SEE THE VIDEO.

Four houses have been burnt in Daly River, according to residents who wished to stay anonymous out of fear of retribution.

The residents said familial disputes are to blame for the current unrest, as shocking footage circulates on social media of houses burning, people walking the streets brandishing weapons and shots being fired.

One video, which NT News has viewed but is choosing not to show, has a group of youths beating down a door to enter a room, where they proceed to attack a single person.

One source – speaking on the condition of anonymity – described what they saw.

“People were still walking the street midday with machetes,” they said.

“This violence is only going to escalate and someone will be killed.”

Minister for remote housing and homelands Selena Uibo said the government was working to resolve the situation.

“Territory Families, Housing and Communities is on the ground in Daly River working with the community, police and other government agencies to assess the situation,” she said.

“We will work with the community to ensure the most appropriate response and supports are identified and implemented.”

NT Police ‘dispatch extra resources’ to Daly River unrest as houses burnt overnight

A shocking image of a male with an arrow lodged in his abdomen has emerged in the wake of violence in the Northern Territory community of Daly River.

Northern Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Janelle Tonkin says the Territory Response Group and the Territory Safety Division is on its way to Daly River to respond to the recent unrest in town.

Police have confirmed two houses were set alight overnight, but no injuries were reported and the houses were empty at the time.

Ms Tonkin said there was no excuse for the behaviour currently plaguing the town.

“Police are holding meetings with traditional owners, Elders, community members and other stakeholders to help facilitate calm within the region,” she said.

Police Minister Brent Potter said the situation was unacceptable and community safety was the utmost priority.

A crossbow injury. Police say up to 25 people descended on the town April 30 and caused havoc, with residents now evacuating the town.

“Northern Territory Police have a high presence in the community and extra resources have been dispatched. Police have identified offenders and arrests will occur as soon as possible,” he said.

“In regards to the Barra Classic, police will monitor the situation and provide advice to government, and we will act accordingly.”

Jovi Warriors riots: Women and children left with ‘nowhere to go’ after Daly River disturbance

Women and children are sleeping rough in Adelaide River with “nowhere to go” after rioters set fire to houses in Daly River, saying police are still yet to provide a substantive response.

A Daly River local who did not want to be named said about 40 people had evacuated the community since an armed gang calling themselves the Jovi Warriors descended on the town.

“We can’t stay in Adelaide River, we’ve just go nowhere to go and we’re not getting any support from anyone at the moment, we’ve got women and kids sleeping on tarps,” they said.

“We’re going to plan it today, everyone’s going to sit down and plan it for which way we’re going and how we’re going to find money.

Fires burn in Daly River after an armed gang dubbed the Jovi Warriors descended on the town.

“Especially for these two burnt houses, these families have got no home again, they’ve lost everything.”

The source said local police had watched on helplessly as the gang terrorised residents armed with crossbows and other weapons and there was still no sign of any backup on Thursday.

“There’s still no task force, nothing out there, in Daly River,” they said.

“Last week three teenagers, my God, there was like eight police cars and with dogs, just like within a couple of hours for the underage – and for this arson, whatever’s happening there, riot, nothing, still no one’s on the ground.”

Police helpless as newly-formed Jovi Warriors gang terrorises town

Peppimenarti’s notorious Jovi Boys have joined forces with another gang in nearby Daly River where locals say police were powerless to stop them “terrorising” the community overnight.

A Daly River resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals said the Jovi Boys had teamed up with the local Warriors and “made one big gang” of up to 60 people.

“Warriors they call themselves – they’re the gang here in the community, they’re a gang with the Jovi mob, they’ve been ringing them up to come and help them fight,” they said.

“The Jovi Warriors they call themselves now.”

The resident said the group from out of town came from Peppimenarti with others from Emu Point and Palumpa, arriving at Daly River at about 3pm on Tuesday.

“They were one big gang in three cars, who came here, joined up with the Warriors here in Daly River and have just been running around everywhere with crossbows and whatnot – machetes, axes, terrorising people, children,” they said.

Police say a vehicle was set on fire yesterday in Daly River.

The resident said they were among those injured after being struck by a crossbow bolt as the gang stole a car and rammed it into a woman’s house.

The house caught fire with her family inside, including a 7-month-old baby, according to the resident.

“They were screaming inside, they couldn’t get out,” they said.

“They had the young baby in the house and they couldn’t get out because the idiots were everywhere with crossbows.”

They said another Daly River man, who had been on dialysis, would have to be evacuated to Darwin after the gang smashed up his medical equipment.

The resident said when two police officers arrived from Wadeye “they didn’t do anything to stop them because they couldn’t”, with the gang members only finally retreating in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Police say up to 25 people descended on the town and damaged property before setting a car on fire.

Police say the group who entered town were armed with various weapons.

“They just took videos I think (of) what happened at (that) house where the car was burning and they were watching them, taking (videos) when they were running around with weapons,” they said.

“They’re not doing interviews or anything, they told us a taskforce was coming last night, we’ve been waiting, waiting,” they said.

The resident said they didn’t know what drove the violence, but put it down to young people on social media, with locals reporting threats to the police for the past three weeks.

“They’ve been saying on social media ‘We’re coming to Daly, we’re coming to Daly to burn houses’, We’ve been reporting all that to the police,” they said.

Shotgun fired, houses damaged: Armed group descends on Top End town

Initial: A group of more than 20 have descended on a remote Territory town where they allegedly caused damage while armed with weapons.

An NT Police statement said that at 3.20pm on April 30, the 25 people – who police allege were armed with various weapons – entered the Daly River community and began damaging houses before setting a vehicle alight.

The statement said that reports were then received of shots being fired, with four people attending “the local clinic in relation to the weapon discharge, all requiring pellets removed from their skin.”

A group of about 25 people armed with weapons stormed the Northern Territory town of Daly River on April 30, 2024 and caused damage to houses and property.

Police say four people were taken to the local clinic and treated for injuries.

“The man who allegedly fired the shotgun has been identified and efforts are currently under way to locate him while the group responsible for causing damage within the community remain outstanding,” the statement said.

Northern Territory Police Acting Superintendent Erica Gibson said “everyone in the Victoria River Region is tired of this behaviour”.

Police say the armed who group descended on the town and damaged property.

Police say the armed group who descended on the town damaged property before a vehicle was set alight

“Community disagreements and familial conflict is no excuse for wanton destruction and aggravated assault,” she said.

“What we saw yesterday was completely unacceptable behaviour and it is astonishing no one was seriously injured as a result.”

Police said extra officers from Adelaide River, Katherine, and Pine Creek were sent into Daly River “to restore calm and investigate the incidents.”

Ms Gibson also said that additional officers will remain in Daly River while investigations continue.

Police are urging anyone with information to contact police on 131 444, make an anonymous report on Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000, or to visit their local police station.

Originally published as Shocking footage emerges from Daly River showing extent of unrest