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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 NoorMosque and Linwood Islamic Centre on March 15, 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 Ave and Linwood Ave 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.
A memorial plaque for the worshippers killed in the terror attack. Photo / RNZ / Nate McKinnon
“We will update as we go, please keep the channels clear as much as you can. Be safe, stay safe.”
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.
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.
Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch which was the scene of the March 15 terror attacks in 2019. The victims are buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Christchurch.
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.”
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 March 15, 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
co-ordination between emergency services and first responders
whether the terrorist had any direct assistance from any other person on March 15, 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’s emergency exit door in the southeast corner of the main prayer room failed to function during the attack and, if so, why?
