Christchurch terror attacks: What police heard as it happened

Thursday, 16 November 2023

What police heard as they descended on two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019, and arrested the terrorist in the process, has been revealed.

Police radio transmissions, played at the inquest into the attacks, detail the first reports of shots being fired at the Al Noor mosque and then the Linwood Islamic Centre, followed by the moment two officers pursued the terrorist, crashing into his car and arresting him.

The magnitude of the tragedy dawning on paramedics was also revealed as the inquest heard the first realisation of 40 to 50 gunshot patients and the declaration of a mass casualty event.

This included a number of phone calls being made between St John staff who were trying to piece together as much information as they could with the knowledge that a gunman was still on the loose as they attempted to get to and help injured victims.

The transmissions were played in court after it was discovered that some documents with relevance to coroner Brigitte Windley’s inquest had not been disclosed. This put hearing from any witnesses on hold as the documents were disclosed to all counsel.

A timeline of key police transmissions as the attacks unfolded can be seen below:

First reports and response to Al Noor mosque

1.42pm (police dispatcher): “We’ve just had…machine gun fire it sounded like at the mosque on Deans Ave.”

1.42pm: Three police units respond that they’re en route.

1.44pm (dispatcher): “We’ve had now seven calls, ah, it states that a person is shooting a gun. One call says it could have been a machine gun and that’s all we’ve got so far, ah, someone has been shot, there is blood, and it’s all come from the mosque which is on Deans Ave.”

1.45pm: Confirmed that armed offenders squad (AOS) has been made aware.

1.46pm (police responder): “he’s got a semi-automatic gun he’s still shooting at people.”

1.46pm: First AOS team advises they are two minutes away.

1.48pm (police specialist responder): “I need an ambo to the Argyle on the Park. We have a status one patient with gunshot wound.”

1.49pm: The offender’s vehicle registration is broadcast over the police radio. Make and model is broadcast shortly after.

1.51pm (police dispatcher): “We’ve got a description of the male now. He’s possibly wearing a helmet or a hat. He’s about 6ft, large build but not fat, wearing camo gear and possibly had a green or yellow colour as well. He had bulky like items on him as well.”

1.52pm (AOS supervisor): “Ah roger, sounds like there’s one male, ah, we’ve located the firearm. We’re still unsure whether he’s still armed or not, ah, we need, ah, ambo as a priority to, ah, Deans Ave and the wee side street that’s closest to the, um, mosque.”

1.53pm (dispatcher): “We’ve had a vehicle seen matching that description heading eastbound on Bealey Ave towards Fitzgerald Ave.”

Shots fired at Christchurch Hospital (later deemed a false alarm)

1.56pm (dispatcher): “Any, any units listening to this, there’s been shots fired at the ED department at Christchurch Hospital. I need a contact team formed; head there straightaway.”

First Linwood report

1.56pm (police responder): “There’s a guy firing shots out of a vehicle on Linwood Ave.”

1.56pm: General arming of all police units is broadcast over the radio.

Terrorist being pursued:

1.57pm (police responder): “Radio clearance please, we’re in pursuit of the vehicle, Waltham Rd/Brougham St, yep. Pursuit of the vehicle on Brougham St, ah, heading west.”

Linwood reports continue

1.58pm (police responder): “Just been told there’s a male standing on Linwood Ave shooting at the moment”

1.59pm (AOS supervisor): “Just confirm what’s going on at Linwood Ave.”

1.59pm (police responder): “We’re nearly there…we were just told by a member of the public.”

1.59pm (dispatcher): “The offender is at 211 Linwood Ave.”

2pm (police responder): “We’re at 223 Linwood Ave. We’ve just been told by a member of the public that there are at least six armed people here.”

AOS makes multiple pleas for ambulances to Al Noor:

2pm (AOS officer): “Can we have ambulances directly to the scene on Deans Ave?”

2pm (dispatcher): “Affirm, they’ve been told to go in”.

2pm (second AOS officer): “Let’s get ambulances to the scene now, we’ve got multiple, multiple people here. Ambulances on scene all roll in.”

Terrorist’s arrest

2.02pm (arresting officer): “Right we’ve got one offender we’re on the, ah, Brougham/Strickland plus we’ve got bombs in the car, he’s armed up, we’ve got him out of the car, we’ve crashed into him, ah, yeah like I said, I’ve, I’ve, looks like we got bombs in the back, I dunno what’s going on.”

2.02pm (arresting officer): “So we’ve got him out of the car, he’s got firearms, don’t know whether he was with anyone, but we’ve got petrol and some they look like bombs in the back of the car, he’s all camoed.”

2.02pm (dispatcher): “Confirm you have apprehended the male.”

First confirmed deaths at Linwood Islamic Centre

2.02pm (AOS officer): “I’ve got three confirmed fatals at 211 Linwood Ave, I need ambulance here please. We are clearing the property at the moment.”

2.02pm (dispatcher): “Roger.”

2.04pm (AOS officer): “I have one weapon here. I have at least six deceased in Linwood Ave. I’ve got children and women. I need more support please immediately and ambulance.”

2.05pm (dispatcher): “Ambulance have already been called and are on their way.”

Terrorist’s false claims

2.05pm (police dog unit): “Their intention is to target the five mosques in Christchurch.”

2.06pm (arresting officer #1): “Inference from this male here is nine shooters in total. Potentially nine in total.”

2.07pm (arresting officer #2): “Yeah, the one we’ve got here tells us he is one of ten shooters in Canterbury, all targeting mosques. They all have military or police training apparently.”

Cordons put in place at religious sites

2.20pm (dispatcher): “All units… be aware that the Polytech, the University and Hagley College all have prayer rooms ah, for Muslims at those locations so as soon as possible I need those units, ah, those locations, cordoned.”

Pleas for ambulances at Linwood Ave

2.22pm (police responder): “I know they’re all busy but, um, any ambos at all coming this way? We’ve got a number of victims in Linwood Ave.”

2.22pm (dispatcher): “Ah, the last update I just heard was ambos were on way.”

District command centre: ‘The mission is to keep Christchurch safe’

2.42pm (DCC): “To all staff in Canterbury. Current situation, scenes at the mosque on Deans Ave, ED has been locked down at the hospital, 211 Linwood Street is also a scene. There are multiple fatalities throughout the city. Your primary role is this, to keep yourself safe. Report into your supervisors, equip yourselves properly.”

2.42pm (DCC): “Secondly, the mission, the mission, repeat is to keep Christchurch safe. We are currently preparing ah for Ashburton for a possible, a possible only, incident there. All staff should arm generally in the district to the district commander’s instruction.”

2.42pm (DCC): “We will update as we go. Please keep the channels clear as much as you can. Be safe, stay safe, out.”

The inquest is set to take a pre-planned recess week and will resume on November 27.