Christchurch's Al Noor Mosque. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Dramatic recordings of police radio communications as the mosque attacks unfolded capture officers scrambling to respond to the mass shooting in a mission "to keep Christchurch safe".
In the moments after the Australian gunman opened fire at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre on 15 March 2019, police and St John communications centre staff started receiving calls.
In audio played to the inquest into the terror attack, a radio message to all police staff from the District Command Centre at 2.42pm describing scenes at the Deans Avenue and Linwood Avenue mosques and that Christchurch Hospital's emergency department was in lockdown.
"There are multiple fatalities throughout the city. Your primary role is this: To keep yourself safe," the message began.
"Secondly, the mission, the mission, repeat, is to keep Christchurch safe. We're currently preparing Ashburton for a possible, a possible only, incident there. All staff should arm generally in the district per the district commander's instructions.
"We will update as we go, please keep the channel's clear as much as you can. Be safe, stay safe."
The first shots were fired at Al Noor mosque at 1.40pm. By 1.44pm, police had received seven calls with reports of machine gun fire and a person being shot.
In addition to responding to the mosque attacks and a false report of shooting at the hospital's ED and St Michael's school, the audio also hears police repeatedly asking for ambulance assistance at Al Noor and Linwood.
A memorial plaque for the worshippers killed in the terror attack. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Police caught the terrorist by 2pm, when he told arresting officers there were more attackers in Canterbury that day and up to 50 attacks "across the globe".
Police crews were sent to other locations across the city with prayer rooms and told to follow suspicious cars.
For several minutes, the radio was held up by Detective Superintendent Darryl Sweeney relaying what he believed to be a livestream of another shooting but was in fact a delayed feed of the mosque attacks.
Sweeney earlier told the court it was possible he would still act the same way given the information he had at the time.
St John radio communications showed the Linwood mosque was not even mentioned until specialist paramedic Dale Muller made a call from the scene at 2.26pm giving a situation report.
The recording also captures a woman laughing early in the St John response saying: "It'll all be over by tomorrow".
Tributes outside Linwood Islamic Centre. Photo: AFP / ANTHONY WALLACE
Following Muller's transmission, the dispatcher told an ambulance crew: "I do have some jobs for Linwood Ave. I'll get you on that shortly".
At 2.32pm, Muller made another radio call from Linwood saying there was no gunman and asking for an update on ambulances.
The dispatcher told him one was on the way and asked how many were needed.
Muller requested four vehicles because there were four people in critical condition.
The radio transmission also revealed a stretched hospital's emergency department, with St John organising for a "pile" of doctors on a course to go and help.
The inquest will examine the following 10 issues over six weeks:
- events of 15 March 2019 from the commencement of the attack until the terrorist's formal interview by police
- response times and entry processes of police and ambulance officers at each mosque
- triage and medical response at each mosque
- the steps that were taken to apprehend the offender
- the role of, and processes undertaken by, Christchurch Hospital in responding to the attack
- coordination between emergency services and first responders
- whether the terrorist had any direct assistance from any other person on 15 March 2019
- if raised by immediate family, and to the extent it can be ascertained, the final movements and time of death for each of the deceased
- the cause of death for each of the victims and whether any deaths could have been avoided
- whether Al Noor Mosque emergency exit door in the southeast corner of the main prayer room failed to function during the attack and, if so, why?
The inquest continues.
