Christchurch terror attack inquest: Paramedics did not enter Al Noor Mosque until 30 minutes after shooting

No handover was given by the police officer who provided first aid to badly injured victims at Christchurch's Al Noor Mosque before he took off to Linwood Islamic Centre, an inquest had heard.

The Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) member told the coroners court on Wednesday afternoon that he was the first person to administer first aid to worshippers in the main prayer room after an initial clearance of the mosque had been completed.

A total of 51 people were killed and many others injured as a result of the terror attacks at the two mosques on 15 March 2019.

The AOS member, who cannot be named, said he quickly assessed victims to work out who needed urgent help.

It included men with gunshot wounds to the throat, leg and chest.

He said he also had to move one victim, who was showing no signs on life, in order to get to another injured person he could hear gurgling beneath him.

The AOS member was in the room providing first aid for about seven minutes before he was called back to a police vehicle to join his team in going to Linwood mosque as gunshots were being reported there.

He said he quickly reassured the injured victims that "help was on the way" before gathering his gear and leaving.

He "assumed" that was the case, but had not been told anyone else was coming to help.

The court has previously heard badly injured victims were left alone for 10 minutes after he left.

The AOS member did not give a handover to anyone stating what first aid he had given or consider taking any of the victims outside with him, he said.

In hindsight, giving a handover would have "been very helpful" but his main role was to locate, isolate and apprehend an offender, so that was his focus at the time, he said.

Paramedics did not enter Al Noor Mosque until 30 minutes after shooting

Paramedics did not enter Al Noor Mosque to help injured worshippers until 30 minutes after the gunman had left.

Another AOS member told the court earlier on Wednesday the victims were left alone while officers stood guard outside because they believed the threat of a further attack was too great to remain inside and help.

CCTV footage played to the court shows the first two paramedics did not enter until 2.15pm, under the protection of armed police. The gunman left the Deans Avenue mosque at about 1.45pm.

On Tuesday, the inquest heard injured man Zekeriya Tuyan was on the phone to emergency services from inside the Deans Avenue mosque for more than half-an-hour before paramedics went in.

Under questioning from Tuyan's family lawyer Anne Toohey, a third AOS member told the court he was not aware gunshot victims in significant pain had been left alone in the mosque and agreed it was not ideal.

Tuyan became the 51st victim of the terror attack when he died from his injuries on 2 May 2019.

On Wednesday, the second AOS member said he stood guard outside Al Noor Mosque after clearing the building.

He said there were no police staff in the mosque after a team left for the Linwood Islamic Centre, where more shots had been fired, and before armed officers took paramedics in 10 minutes later.

The AOS member told police lawyer Mark Zarifeh that he was focused on the risk of a further attack, even though he wanted to go inside the mosque and help the injured.

The court has heard evidence about police radio calls about a vehicle returning and another nine offenders in Christchurch targeting mosques because of false information the terrorist gave arresting police.

"My thought process was that the priority was the risk of if I was inside the mosque, then there was no-one outside protecting us while we were trying to deal with the victims inside," he said.

"Hence, I deemed the priority was of protecting the mosque as best as I could."

The AOS member said he was frustrated about 2.10pm when he could see two ambulances further down the street who were not coming forward and soon drove off.

He did not realise at the time that they were treating victims at a nearby location and transporting them to hospital.

The scene on Deans Avenue was "chaotic", he said.

"Even though I had been involved in a number of critical incidents in the police, it was the only time in my career that I thought this was my last day due to the threats that existed at the time."

Victims' families question if race played into police actions

In his evidence, the AOS member had also said he was approached by a few people outside the mosque, trying to get back in following the shooting.

He said the risk was too high for them to be allowed inside, as he did not know who they were, they could have been an offender, and the mosque was a crime scene.

Under cross examination by lawyer for victims and families Kathryn Dalziel, he was questioned on why a "sleeper" would want to re-enter the mosque.

"If they were after Muslim people, they had plenty of targets standing outside the mosque, didn't they?" she asked.

Dalziel said the group was "desperate" to get back in and help injured people get to hospital.

"My clients, and this is really important to them, they want to know, would you have been so cautious about there being a possible sleeper if you had been talking to a group of white people?"

The AOS member appeared surprised by the question, replying: "I would have dealt with the situation the exact same way".

The inquest will examine the following 10 issues over six weeks:

• the events of 15 March 2019 from the commencement of the attack until the terrorist's formal interview by police
• the response times and entry processes of police and ambulance officers at each mosque
• the 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
• coordination between emergency services and first responders
• whether the terrorist had any direct assistance from any other person on 15 March 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 emergency exit door in the southeast corner of the main prayer room failed to function during the attack and, if so, why?

The inquest continues.