Horror of sickening streamed massacre

A SICKENING video taken by Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant, apparently with a head camera, captured every moment of his murderous mosque attack — down to his victims’ desperate cries of fear as they tried in vain to flee.

The 17-minute film, livestreamed to Facebook, begins with the killer saying “let’s get the party started” as he sets off in his Subaru Outback on his rampage. As a version of what appears to be 18th century marching song “British Grenadiers” plays, Tarrant gets out carrying two of at least four black guns visible inside the Subaru. All are daubed with slogans and names — referring to terror attacks and historical figures — in white text.

With no pause the Australian walks swiftly towards the mosque’s front door, gunning down his first victim in the doorway before entering the building, firing round after round as worshippers attempt to hide, run or crawl to safety.

Remorselessly and mercilessly he sweeps the building before going back to the car and getting another weapon.

He returns to the mosque, where scores of dead and wounded are huddled together on the green carpet. The horror continues: now he moves from group to group, picking off survivors with single or multiple shots. As he leaves again — firing up and down the street — Tarrant encounters a woman in a dark outfit, crying at the roadside. He shoots her as well, before getting back in his car and driving away. He then fires shots at bystanders through the windscreen.

Social media agency Storyful reported the footage was livestreamed to the Facebook page of Brenton Tarrant but was later removed. Facebook deleted the shooter’s social media accounts.