The police say a critically injured man was found unconscious in a ditch on a street in the Coromandel town of Whitianga early this morning.
He is believed to be about 40, and was located on Cook Drive just after 2am.
The police say a 111 caller told them up to four people had been chasing a man towards the nearby Mercury Bay Area School.
The victim was flown to Auckland hospital, where his condition has been described as serious but stable.
Police said the area was cordoned off, which will cause some disruption, particularly for school students.
