How minutes of terror unfolded

Police made arrest 18 minutes after 111 call alerted them to shots being fired

Police have confirmed it took them 18 minutes to make an arrest after first being called to shootings at two Christchurch mosques. The terror attacks at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque on March 15 killed 50 people and wounded 39.

While reducing the country’s threat level from high to medium, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he wanted the public to have as much information as possible about the response to the two incidents. However, given the matter was now before the courts, certain details couldn’t be released.

“The investigation team continues to be focused on confirming certain details, particularly timings sourced from a number of electronic systems and devices with differing internal

clocks. The information released today is currently the best information I have to date and what I can release without compromising the criminal investigation or the trial.”

The timeline kicks off at 1.40pm with shots fired at Al Noor Mosque. An email which has a manifesto as an attachment is received by a range of people including Parliamentary Services.

At 1.40:44pm, Parliamentary

Services calls South Comms, a call which will continue for 12 minutes.

“We now know that while police was talking to Parliamentary Services the attack at Al Noor Mosque was already under way, having begun 44 seconds prior to Parliamentary Services calling,” Bush said.

One minute later, at 1.41pm, police received the first 111 call.

At 1.51pm, the first responders arrive at the Al Noor Mosque.

“It takes the alleged offender six minutes to get to Linwood Mosque and he is there for three minutes, leaving at 1.55pm,” Bush said.

At 1.57pm, a vehicle is seen by a police unit on Brougham St and a pursuit begins. The vehicle is stopped at 1.59pm and the alleged offender apprehended. At the same time, police arrive at the Linwood Mosque.

There are a total of 18 minutes from the time of the first call to 111 to an arrest being made.

“I reaffirm my previous comments that police staff acted as quickly as humanly possible given the rapidly unfolding nature of the event, and the information available to us in that very brief period of time. As part of normal operational practice we are debriefing our response.”

That debriefing will be done by an independent team, including a Queen’s Counsel.

“The debrief is an important process to ensure any lessons are learnt, and used to inform future operational responses.

“I remain incredibly proud of the staff who responded on March 15 and I continue to receive praise and admiration from people both here and overseas for the actions of staff both on the day and in the weeks following.”

I continue to receive praise and admiration from people both here and overseas for the actions of staff. Commissioner Mike Bush