Michael Andrews has been honoured with a New Zealand Bravery Medal for his actions following a mass stabbing at the LynnMall Countdown in September 2021. Photo: Supplied
A man who helped to save people during a mass stabbing at an Auckland supermarket says the "shadow" of that day still follows him around.
Michael Andrews was recognised in this year's New Zealand Bravery Awards for his actions during the 3 September 2021 attack at Countdown LynnMall.
Ahamed Samsudeen, who had been under intense police surveillance since being released from prison for possessing objectionable material, walked into the supermarket in the afternoon and grabbed a large kitchen knife.
He then began indiscriminately attacking customers in several aisles of the store.
Within minutes he had seriously injured several people and attempted to attack members of the public and staff who had barricaded themselves in a storeroom.
Andrews was in the store when the stabbing rampage began, and saw two injured people fall to the ground.
As Samsudeen returned to a woman he had previously attacked, crouching over her to stab her, Andrews approached him and shouted to distract him. Samsudeen reacted by trying to stab Andrews before moving away.
"It went from zero to 100 really quickly and he chased me and I ran out of range, picked up a bollard and went back to Aisle 10 and tried to fight with him with the bollard thing," Andrews said.
"Another dude yelled at him and he turned and chased a guy and I followed the attacker around. Next thing there was armed police and lots of shots fired."
Samsudeen was fatally shot by police and died at the scene.
A police officer outside the LynnMall supermarket following the September 2021 attack. Photo: Getty Images
Andrews then assisted in providing first aid to the victims. In total, seven people were stabbed, with some suffering critical injuries.
He said it was a "horrible day" and he thought he would never see his young boys again.
"It was scary, it's still there, it's like a shadow, it just lives with you."
Andrews said he was proud of his actions, but said "I just wish I'd done more and [a victim] would have been cut less, and I can't change that."
He was humbled to be among the list of Bravery Medal recipients, but said the honour came with mixed emotions.
"I don't [think] there would be anybody on this list that wants this. I didn't do what I did that day because I thought there was something at the end of it. You know I'd rather those people not be hurt, and they carry scars now.
"I think we all would have preferred that the event never happened, but it did, and you've got to find the lessons and the goodness in it and I'm doing that."
Andrews said the survivors of the attack continued to meet as a group every now and again.
"We're connected forever basically. We don't live in each other's lives, but we will always be connected by that event."
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