A 15-year-old boy has been critically injured after being run over by a car multiple times in an incident police say was "targeted" in Ngāruawāhia earlier this week.
Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur said the boy was walking near the entrance to the Hopuhopu Sports Park at around 5pm on Wednesday when he was struck by the car.
The boy suffered multiple serious injuries and was taken to Waikato Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
"Police believe this was a targeted attack, and the driver of the car purposely struck the victim before then driving the car over him more than once," said Harpur.
The car, a black Toyota Auris with the registration number NBE817, has been seized and is being examined by police after it was found abandoned in the carpark area of the Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve near Tauhei on Thursday night.
It is known the vehicle left the Huntly township at around 4.40pm on Wednesday and travelled to the Hopuhopu area, said Harpur.
Police are appealing for anyone with information or dashcam footage of the car.
Harpur said police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen this car traveling in the Huntly area on Great South Rd and the Taupiri area on Wednesday afternoon.
"We would also like to hear from anyone who saw this car or may have dashcam footage in and around Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve on Tauhei Road."
Police have set up a portal for images and short recordings to be uploaded into.
Anyone with information or larger quantities of footage can contact police on 105 quoting file number: 240410/3018.
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