Police had responded to online discussion of the incident on local social media, describing it as 'unacceptable behaviour'. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
An 11-year-old boy has been arrested after throwing rocks at an elderly man on Auckland's North Shore.
Police said they were aware of the incident on Anzac Road in Browns Bay on Wednesday.
They had noted the large amount of discussion the original post of the attack had generated on social media.
Posted anonymously on a community Facebook page, residents have voiced their outrage at the boy's actions.
One user described it as absolutely disgraceful and disrespectful behaviour.
"I wonder how these kids would like to sit anywhere and have stones thrown at them!!" one wrote.
"This didn't happen back in the day because kids were disciplined," said another.
Hibiscus and Bays local board member Julia Parfitt said the community came together to alert authorities.
"I'm also told that the police response was extremely swift," she said.
"And that was because we've got those eyes and ears out there in our community, who contact the police and ensure that everyone else is safer."
Parfitt said there did not appear to be any motivation for the attack.
"Christmas is quite a stressful time of the year for many people," she said.
"I don't know what the young person's motivation was - it doesn't sound like there was any motivation does it.
"It's a random thing, and really awful..."
"It just shows you that when you can, though, work together, and if you do use those police contact numbers, that you can get a swift response."
Police also responded on social media, saying they had arrested an 11-year-old boy.
"Police share your concerns about this unacceptable behaviour," they said.
"Our Browns Bay community officers have since identified the young boy involved, an 11-year-old, and he has been apprehended."
The boy was being dealt with through Youth Aid, police said.
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