The Post

‘Murder victim’ forgives police

- Sam Sherwood, Martin van Beynen and Charlie Mitchell

The woman mistakenly recorded as being murdered by the Christchur­ch mosque shooter says she forgives the officers for the error.

Stuff revealed on Thursday that police made a mistake in charging the alleged shooter with killing a person, who was connected to the shootings but still alive.

When the alleged shooter appeared in Christchur­ch District Court on Saturday he faced one charge of murdering a woman, whose name was then suppressed by Judge Paul Kellar. However, she had not been at the mosque at the time.

The woman, who lost family members during the terror attack, told Stuff police spoke with her on Thursday.

‘‘They said to me that they were writing the report about the dead people from the paper to the computer and they made a mistake between witness and victim.’’

The woman was visiting a friend last Friday at the time of the terror attack.

‘‘I don’t know how I feel, including all the bad things . . . it’s another bad thing happening to me,’’ she said. ‘‘I was angry and then I said I forgive them, these things can happen, it doesn’t change anything.’’

The name has caused much confusion with media trying to compose a list of the victims.

Because the woman’s name was included in the list, the number of those killed came to 51. However, police were adamant their number of 50 killed was correct.

Detective Superinten­dent Chris Page on Thursday said police had made a mistake in charging the shooter with killing a person connected to the shootings but still alive.

‘‘We have been to see her [on Thursday] and apologised. The name was supposed to represent many victims and someone was just trying to do the right thing. We made a mistake and we will own it.’’

Page said the charge sheet would be amended on the shooter’s next appearance on April 5 when he would face ‘‘a bundle’’ of new charges.

The mistake did not affect the prosecutio­n, he said.

‘‘I don’t know how I feel, including all the bad things ... it’s another bad thing happening to me. I was angry and then I said I forgive them, these things can happen, it doesn’t change anything.’’

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