Christchurch mosque attacks: Incredible bravery revealed in awards for those who confronted gunman

Sara Qasem addresses the Christchurch Mosque gunman in her victim impact statement. Video / Pool

Warning: this article contains distressing content.

Naeem. Ziyaad. Mark. Liam. Lance. Mike. Wayne. Abdul. Scott. Jim.

When Friday March 15 2019 began they were 10 everyday New Zealanders.

They said goodbye to their families, they went to work, they gathered for weekly prayers.

And then just before 2pm they faced the unthinkable and they became heroes, putting their own lives on the line to save others - many others - as a terrorist unleashed on the Christchurch Muslim community.

In just 17 minutes one man murdered 51 men, women and children and wounded 40 more.

And in those 17 minutes these 10 Kiwis did the most incredible things to help friends and strangers.

They may not think they are heroes, but today New Zealand and the world acknowledge their tremendous bravery.

Without their actions during the Christchurch terror attack many more lives would have been lost, many more families would have been torn apart by the terrorist's bullets.

The 10 are all recipients of the 2021 New Zealand Bravery Awards.

Here are their stories.

Naeem Rashid: The hero who rushed the terrorist

Dr Naeem Rashid and his sons arrived at the Al Noor Mosque for Friday prayer and less than 10 minutes after they entered the main congregation room the massacre began.

A lone gunman armed with high powered firearms was shooting indiscriminately at worshippers. Men. Women. Children.

As he made his way to the main room, terrified worshippers began to flee including Rashid.

Someone broke the lower pane of a small window and several people were able to escape, but others could not and a bottleneck developed.

Dr Naeem Rashid has received the country's highest bravery honour for civilians for his heroism during the 2019 terror attack. He was killed in the attack, the honour is posthumous. Photo / Supplied

Rashid was at the back of the group, who were all exposed to the gunman's line of fire.

The killer began firing shots into a large group of men on the other side of the room and Rashid took action.

He ran at the gunman.

When he was about a metre away he was shot in the shoulder but that did not stop him.

He collided with the gunman, grabbing him and knocking him to the ground.

As Rashid lay injured on the floor the gunman fired at him repeatedly, killing the heroic father.

The gunman continued to shoot and kill others - including Rashid's son Talhar, 22.

But it later emerged that at least seven people were able to escape through the broken window as Rashid distracted the killer.

He was posthumously awarded The New Zealand Cross which is given for acts of great bravery in a situation of extreme danger:

"In a situation of extreme danger, Dr Rashid displayed great courage and bravery in challenging the gunman, with complete disregard for his own safety," his citation reads.

"In so doing, he selflessly enabled others to escape, at the cost of his own life. Without Dr Rashid's brave actions, the loss of life on 15 March 2019 would have been even greater."

His wife Ambreen Naeem said she was grateful for the "special honour" which is the highest civil award for bravery.

"Naeem was a brave man, he was kind and loving," she said.

"He was a true follower of the peaceful faith of Islam, which is the complete code of life.

"Throughout his life, he always put others before him. On 15th March 2019, in those difficult circumstances, knowing the consequences, he tackled hate. By doing so he took an eternal life.

"Today we can't see him, but he has spread his message of peace and love, all over the world."

Naeem Rashid (left) and son Talhar Rashid were killed in the mosque shooting. Photo / Supplied

Ambreen said the award was not only for her late husband - but for "every peace-loving person who stands against hate".

"For all the victims, not only the victims of the Christchurch terror attack but all over the world," she said.

"This award is proof that there is no space for hate in New Zealand."

She said the acknowledgement was "very emotional" for her and her sons and family.

"I wish Naeem's mother would be here with me who gave birth and raised such a brave man," Ambreen said.

"Me and my sons are so proud of Naeem."

Ziyaad Shah: The hero who shielded his brother

Ziyaad Shah was sitting in the middle of the main prayer room at Al Noor when the shooting started and the panic took hold.

He saw people start to run and immediately he grabbed the man next to him and rolled over him, shielding him with his own body.

As the gunman continued shooting Shah was shot twice - but he did not try to run, he did not abandon the brother he was protecting.

Shah pretended to be dead, and told his friend to remain calm and do the same.

Ziyaad Shah's bravery during the 2019 terror attack has been recongised with a Bravery Award. He was visited by Sonny Bill Williams while still in hospital after the massacre. Photo / Getty

As the terrorist stalked around the room shooting continuously, the pair lay still.

Shah was bleeding profusely but he did not move a muscle and protected the other man until the killer finally left the mosque.

Shah was awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration.

"Mr Shah's selfless actions in protecting his fellow worshipper demonstrated exceptional bravery," his citation reads.

Mark Miller: The hero who did not hesitate

Mark Miller and a colleague were driving in their work vehicle along Deans Ave, near Al Noor, at about 1.40pm.

They had no idea of the absolute hell that had broken loose in and around the mosque but were soon right in the midst of the massacre.

As they drove towards the Al Noor they heard gunfire and witnessed between five to eight people being shot and falling to the ground.

Armed Police guard the Masjid Al Noor after the deadly terror attack. Photo / Michael Craig

Miller's colleague stopped the vehicle around 100m from the masjid and said "we should go back to help".

Miller sprang from the vehicle and ran to the first wounded person he could see lying on the ground.

As the gunshots rang out furiously and relentlessly, Miller crawled between cars onto the footpath and tried to move the man.

It was impossible, but he stayed with the injured victim to comfort him.

Miller could see the gunman moving around the mosque. He could hear shots being fired.

But he did not flee.

Eventually another man came and helped Miller move the victim onto his side and together they administered first aid to the gunshot wound on his back.

Miller held the man upright as he was having trouble breathing.

The police arrived soon afterwards and even then, Miller stayed with the victim, helping first responders try to save his life.

Sadly, his injuries were too severe and he died there on the street.

Miller then moved to help lift another victim on a gurney and into an ambulance.

Only when he had done all he could, did Miller leave the scene.

He has been awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal for acts of bravery.

Liam Beale: The hero who saved the little girl

Liam Beale was driving along Deans Ave when something hit his car, reverberated through the body of the vehicle.

Then he heard the noise - the cracking of gunshots.

He saw a man fall to the ground and then he realised a shooting was underway.

Beale did not think twice as he stopped and got out of his car.

He grabbed his first aid kit and made his way to a man lying wounded, bleeding on the grass on the nearby traffic island.

Flowers and messages of support and love were placed on Deans Ave - where Liam Beale helped saved the lives of people shot in the terror attack. Photo / Michael Craig

He pulled the man between two cars to shelter him from the gunman and applied a trauma bandage to his bullet wounds.

Beale then moved along the road to other victims, assessing the severity of their injuries, applying initial first aid, and moving those where he could to less exposed positions.

He came across a little girl lying face down on the footpath. She had been shot multiple times.

He ran back to the car to get his last bandage and once he had pressed it onto her wounds, he picked the child up and ran her down the road where others could assist him.

He warned them that the gunman was either still nearby or active and that an ambulance would not be able to get in unless police could secure the scene.

Another bystander ran and got his ute and Beale started lifting victims onto the back.

He then called emergency services, telling them that it was on its way out of the scene, that the people on the back needed urgent medical attention.

As they were trucked out, Beale stayed at the scene - helping more victims and the police as they converged.

Beale received the New Zealand Bravery Decoration for his act of exceptional bravery in a situation of danger.

"He placed his own life at risk, bravely searching for victims, assisting them and moving them to safety, while the gunman was active in the area," his citation read.

Lance Bradford: The hero who drove the wounded

The gunman ran out of ammunition inside Al Noor and returned to his car to get more.

As he made his way back to continue his deadly spree he fired multiple shots along both directions of the street.

At one point the mass murderer fired 27 shots in one direction.

Lance Bradford was driving his ute along Deans Ave at the time and as he neared Al Noor he could not believe his eyes.

Flower tributes near Al Noor, where worshippers were gunned down during Friday prayers by a terrorist. Photo / Michael Craig

He could see eight to 10 people lying on the ground outside the mosque, in distress and clearly wounded.

He pulled over immediately and walked back towards the mosque.

As he made his way to the victims Bradford could hear the sounds of gunshots and people screaming.

He knew he had to do something to stop anyone else going near and he began stopping members of the public - who were seemingly unaware of the unfolding situation - from heading in the direction of the mosque.

Bradford then inched his way closer to the mosque, hiding behind cars as he went.

He found a man and a little girl with gunshot wounds.

Another passerby was helping the girl so Bradford turned his attention to the injured man.

Bradford and the other rescuer started making a plan to evacuate the victims - knowing ambulances may be delayed due to the active shooter.

When the first cohort of armed police arrived Bradford ran back to his ute and backed it quickly to where the injured people were.

Bradford loaded the wounded man and young girl into the vehicle, along with another man who had been shot in the leg.

He then drove the victims to the Christchurch Hospital emergency department.

Bradford received The New Zealand Bravery Medal for his act of bravery.

Mike Robinson: The hero who helped and helped

Mike Robinson was driving along Deans Ave with a colleague at 1.40pm when the carnage began to unfold.

The pair observed the gunman firing a weapon and people falling over in the grounds of the mosque.

Robinson's swung their vehicle across the lanes at the end of a traffic island and together they began directing traffic to turn around.

Ambulances on hand to transport the wounded soon after the Al Noor attack on Deans Ave. Photo / AP

They then turned their attention to the victims - they could see people lying on the road and the footpath near the mosque so they headed towards them.

They came across several victims who had been shot, and provided assistance to them.

Robinson pulled a gunshot victim to shelter between parked cars then proceeded as close as possible to the mosque, but found no further victims and returned to the others.

By then he could see ambulances waiting at a cordon point on Deans Ave.

He and the other rescuers knew police could not let the paramedics in until they had secured the scene, until they had the shooter contained.

Robinson and his colleague started to help load victims into Bradford's ute.

They then remained at the scene helping other victims until the ambulances were allowed into the horrifying scene.

Robinson is the recipient of The New Zealand Bravery Medal for an act of bravery.

He spoke briefly about the honour, saying March 15, 2019, was "the darkest day I have ever faced.".

"After receiving news that I had been nominated for this award, I took some time to reflect upon my actions that day and some deep consideration on whether I should accept," he said.

"I have decided to accept this not for my actions that day but for the people that didn't survive and for those that did.

"I do not consider myself a hero just an average Joe who happened to be in the wrong place at the right time or the right place at the wrong time whichever way you choose to look."

Wayne Maley: The hero who stopped traffic

As Wayne Maley and his colleague drove down Deans Ave they could hear gunshots coming from the Al Noor Mosque.

They could see a gunman firing a weapon and people falling over in the grounds.

They could also see people falling over on the footpath.

Maley realised the severity of the situation immediately - and could see cars on the other side of the road heading directly towards the mosque and into danger

He swung his vehicle across the lanes at the end of a traffic island, and with his colleague began directing traffic to turn around.

The graves of the fallen worshippers. Photo / Alan Gibson

Maley then raced to help the injured, helping to load victims into vehicles bound for the cordon where ambulances were waiting to take them to hospital.

He and his colleague stayed to help until the police allowed the ambulance crews through to the scene.

Maley received the New Zealand Bravery Medal for his act of bravery and said he was "quite honoured" when he heard the news.

He had trained in CPR and remembers being told at the course "one day you'll come across somebody and just stop and help".

"I didn't really care for my safety, I could hear the guy up the road shooting, I just felt we had to go and help these people," he told NZME.

The honour was a form of "closure" for Maley who has had counselling after the terror attack and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Maley said he has never met any of the survivors and would dearly like to.

He recalled holding his hand over one man's wound waiting for paramedics and pulling his phone out of his pocket for him so he could speak to family.

He also wanted to speak to the father and daughter he helped.

"I'm just quite proud, a bit overwhelmed," he said.

Abdul Aziz: The hero who chased the terrorist

Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah has been known as one of the terror attack heroes from early on.

His story began at Friday prayers just across town from Al Noor at the Linwood Mosque.

By 1.50pm the gunman - dressed in full camouflage gear and armed with a cache of semi-automatic shotguns and assault rifles - had fled from the first mosque and arrived at the smaller Friday prayer meeting on Linwood Ave.

Linwood Mosque Imam Alabi Lateef Zirullah (right) and the man who chased the gunman during the terror attacks, Abdul Aziz. Photo / Alan Gibson

Wahabzadah, known as Aziz, heard gunshots outside.

Seconds later a worshipper in the front row said they'd seen someone get shot in the driveway.

Everyone panicked and some tried to run.

Aziz went to the door to investigate and saw the gunman in his camouflage clothing running back to his car, which had been parked across the driveway to prevent any vehicle entering or exiting the property.

The gunman discarded a rifle in the driveway and retrieved a loaded semi-automatic rifle from his vehicle.

Aziz ran into the fray without hesitation, grabbing an Eftpos machine to defend himself.

He screamed at the gunman and threw the machine at him.

When Aziz was around 15m away, the gunman fired at least three shots at him with the semi-automatic rifle.

Aziz ducked down between parked cars and scrambled to the back of the property, seeing the bloodied bodies of his brothers and sisters as he went.

He came across the discarded lever-action rifle and he realised then that the gunman had multiple weapons.

Hearing more shots fired, Aziz took the rifle and ran back towards the gunman shouting "provocations" at him to create a distraction.

Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah faces the terrorist in court at sentencing. Photo / Pool

He hoped the gunman would focus on him and he could prevent any further deaths.

The murderer saw Aziz carrying the discarded rifle, dropped his own gun and ran to his car.

Aziz chased after him and threw the rifle at the back window of the car, smashing it.

The killer drove off and Aziz chased him on foot down Linwood Ave but could not stop him.

Aziz, like Rashid at Al Noor, was a recipient of The New Zealand Cross.

"The situation in which Mr Aziz found himself was extremely dangerous," his citation reads.

"In challenging the gunman he displayed great courage and bravery, and complete disregard for his own safety.

"Mr Aziz's brave actions deterred the gunman from re-entering this mosque to kill and maim others and ultimately forced the gunman to flee."

Scott Carmody and Jim Manning: The hero constables

When the massacre started Senior Constables Scott Carmody and Jim Manning were at the Princess Margaret Hospital participating in a firearms training exercise.

In a disused ward of the Cashmere hospital the pair were upskilling around room clearance and dealing with offenders in armed incidents.

The moment the terrorist was arrested. Photo / Supplied

Both men had come into town that day from their rural posts.

Just after 1.40pm the news spread through the police - active shooter, multiple victims.

Carmody and Manning sprang into action.

They jumped into a patrol car and headed into the city, discussing on their way where the gunman may have gone after he fled Linwood.

He had already hit Al Noor and the men suspected he may try and flee south to the next closest mosque in Ashburton.

They suspected that to get out of town he would most likely use Brougham St - a main arterial route that runs directly onto the southbound motorway and state highway.

Former Commissioner Mike Bush, Senior Constable Jim Manning, HRH Prince William, Senior Constable Scott Carmody and Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price. Photo / NZH

Their guess - based on decades of policing experience - was right and moments later they spotted the gunman's car.

The pair followed the car and made the call to run it off the road as soon as possible.

A chase might result in danger to other drivers and they needed to stop this killer immediately.

They "identified a window of opportunity to stop the vehicle and prevent the gunman inflicting further loss of life or injury".

They rammed the car, shunting it off the road and jamming the patrol car hard into the driver's side to stop the gunman getting out.

Carmody and Manning jumped out of the car and approached the offender.

Manning took up a position at the front right corner of the patrol vehicle with his service weapon pointed at the gunman.

Carmody positioned himself on the passenger side of the vehicle covering the gunman.

They could see a number of firearms in the front seat and within reach of the offender, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest with a large knife attached.

The arrest of the terrorist was captured on camera. The officers responsible have now received bravery awards. Photo / Supplied

Manning also spotted a number of full petrol containers arranged in a "configuration that appeared to be intended as an improvised explosive device.".

They knew they had to get the man out of the car and into custody and they moved swiftly, their actions caught on camera by a passing motorist.

Manning, with his weapon in his hand and Carmody covering him, forcibly removed the gunman from the vehicle.

Both officers then dragged him away from the car, handcuffed him and took him into custody.

The handcuffs went on 17 minutes after the first shot was fired.

The officers' insight, precision and commitment undoubtedly prevented many more deaths.

Both officers received The New Zealand Bravery Decoration for their acts of exceptional bravery in a situation of danger.

"Receiving this honour is a huge privilege but any Police Officer in that situation would have done the same thing," Senior Constable Manning says.

Senior Constables Jim Manning and Scott Carmody have been recognised for their bravery after arresting the Christchurch terrorist. Photo / NZ Police

Last night Carmody said he and Manning wanted to acknowledge the victims of the attacks - as well as their colleagues who were also working that day.

"The victims and their loved ones will always be front of mind for us," he said.

"And there were many, many people involved in the response including many of our fellow police officers. This award really is for every one of our colleagues involved in that response.

"All of them were prepared to put themselves in harm's way, and it could have been any one of them that came across that car on that day."

Manning said: "Receiving this honour is a huge privilege but any Police Officer in that situation would have done the same thing."

NEW ZEALAND BRAVERY AWARDS 2021 - THE FULL LIST

The New Zealand Cross (NZC) for an act of great bravery in a situation of extreme danger

• Dr Naeem Rashid (Posthumous)

• Mr Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah

The New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD) for an act of exceptional bravery in a situation of danger

&bull: Mr Liam Christiaan Armand Beale

• Senior Constable Scott Carmody

• Senior Constable James "Jim" Manning

• Mr Ziyaad Shah

The New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM) for an act of bravery

• Mr Lance Henry Bradford

• Mr Wayne Maley

• Mr Mark Garry Miller

• Mr Michael "Mike" James Robinson