Homes destroyed and six people arrested after violent riots in the remote NT community of Daly River

Two homes were burned and six people were arrested during an eruption of violence in the remote community of Daly River, which residents say has left some people homeless and left others fearing for their lives.

Police say that in the early hours of Wednesday, up to 25 people armed with various weapons entered the community and began damaging homes, before setting fire to a vehicle and shooting.

Four people were taken to the local clinic to have the pellets removed from their skin.

On the same day, two houses in the community were set on fire, although no one was inside at the time.

Police arrested six people in connection with the violence, who are expected to be charged with weapons, property and violent conduct offences.

Additional police support, including the Territorial Response Group (TRG) tactical unit, has been sent to the community to help quell the unrest.

“We were just terrified”

Residents of Daly River, located about 220 kilometers southwest of Darwin, say they are being terrorized by local gangs.

John Daly, a resident and former police officer, said unrest in the community had intensified in the past two weeks.

He said that in one incident, members of a gang called the Jovi Boys had attacked his son’s house with rocks and crossbows.

The Jovi Boys are an outback criminal gang that formed in the nearby community of Peppimenarti, which has been involved in car theft, property damage and violence in the Darwin and West Daly regions.

“We were afraid for our lives,” he told ABC Radio Darwin on Thursday.

“There were arrows flying everywhere, (and) shutter sheets, steel bars, rocks.

“We were outnumbered by about 80 people. There was nothing we could do to try to get our mob out. We just had to hunker down for the night.”

Daly said that despite making frantic calls to triple zero, police did not arrive until 24 hours later.

When the gang members returned for the second time, He said he thought he was going to die.

“At that moment we feared for our lives,” he said.

Locals criticize police response

Another Daly River resident, Lana Daly, lived in one of the houses burned during the riots and is now homeless.

He said authorities had not provided enough support. to the community.

“There has been a lack of support from the government (we are all homeless here) and a lack of support from the police,” he said.