Mangakōtukutuku College. Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod
A Hamilton high school is advising people to call the police if they feel threatened by its students.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mangakōtukutuku College said students have been using "fake guns, cap guns and BB guns" to scare members of the local community.
The school said police had been called to an incident on Urlich Ave where a fake gun had been used by a student. Police confirmed the risk was minimal, but the high school said the public should call the police if they felt threatened.
The school urged parents and caregivers to talk with their children about the incident to support its efforts to keep the school and community safe.
It followed a series of attacks among students at Mangakōtukutuku College, which opened in February on the old Melville High School site after both Melville High and Intermediate schools were closed by the Ministry of Education.
Last week, a video uploaded to Instagram showed a junior high school student's head being stomped on by two senior students as she tried to run away and protect herself.
In February, a 13-year-old boy was knocked unconscious with one punch by a senior student during a brawl, and the school was put into a lockdown. A person was later arrested for assaulting police.
In April, the Ministry of Education appointed a limited statutory manager after identifying a need for additional support.