Warning: This article contains details that may disturb some people.
Terrorist gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant sat quietly in a hushed courtroom as the Crown detailed how he had killed or wounded 91 people in attacks on two Christchurch mosques.
Reading of the summary went ahead soon after the start of the 29-year-old Australian's sentencing in the High Court at Christchurch on 51 charges of murder, 40 of attempted murder, and one of committing a terrorist act.
He has admitted all charges and faces the likelihood of a sentence of life imprisonment without parole when Justice Cameron Mander delivers his judgment, which is expected to be delivered on Thursday morning.
Before that, the court will hear statements from 66 victims and their families.
The court sessions are taking place amid unprecedented security with people placed in court amid social distancing rules for the level 2 COVID-19 alert. It is being heard in court or by video-link in seven courtrooms and is being live-fed to people overseas, and the media.
Strict suppression orders are in place and no live reporting is being allowed until the judge makes orders at the 1pm and 5pm court adjournments.
Tarrant is representing himself at the hearing but has two stand-by defence counsel available to him, Pip Hall QC and Chris Lange, and the court has a lawyer assisting it, Kerry Cook. Mark Zarifeh, Barnaby Hawes, and Pip Norman are appearing for the Crown.
When the court session began, Tarrant was brought in heavily manacled and then some of the shackles were taken off. He sat cuffed among five prison officers during the hearing.
He spoke only one word during the first session, answering "Yes" when Justice Mander confirmed that he was representing himself.
Crown prosecutor Hawes told the court that Tarrant was a 29-year-old Australian citizen who had arrived in New Zealand in 2017, and then applied for and was granted a firearms licence.
He then began buying a collection of high-powered firearms, military specification sighting systems, and telescopic sights, as well as 7000 rounds of ammunition, military-style tactical vests to give him quick access to magazines, and camouflage clothing. He bought these items at retail outlets, and online.
He practised shooting at several rifle clubs and modified the semi-automatic rifles' triggers to enable him to fire faster.
He planned to carry out attacks on mosques to inflict as many deaths as possible and obtained pictures and plans of the buildings and details about prayer times and important days in the Islamic calendar when the mosques would be busiest. He wrote documents outlining his extreme ideology including a manifesto he called The Great Replacement.
On January 8, 2019, he travelled from his home in Dunedin to Christchurch and flew a drone over the Al Noor Mosque in Deans Ave. The drone filmed and recorded an aerial view of the mosque grounds and buildings.
He flew the drone over the entry and exit doors. That mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre became his primary targets to attack and he also planned to attack the Ashburton Mosque.
He planned a time to attack when the maximum number of worshippers would be present and analysed the layouts to determine likely exit routes.
He drove from Dunedin to Christchurch again on Friday, March 15, 2019, intending to attack the mosques and then burn them down.
He took with him a semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun, a pump-action shotgun, two military-style assault rifles, and two other rifles.
He then drove to near the mosque and mounted a Go-Pro camera on a helmet that had a live-feed capability. He sent his manifesto to an extremist website at 1:28pm, and sent messages to his family outlining his intentions and how to deal with the media and police after his attack.
He sent emails containing threats to attack the mosques to Parliamentary Services and media agencies in New Zealand and overseas. The timing was intended to ensure there was not enough time for emergency services to respond.
He turned on the live-feed, and spoke into the camera at various times, identifying himself, and speaking as though addressing an audience.
When he parked next to the mosque and got out with his weapons, the mosque was crowded with 190 worshippers.
He approached the front door and shot three men with nine aimed shotgun blasts, and shot another man in the foyer with his assault rifle. All four were killed.
The summary of facts then details all of his actions at the mosque, including shooting people after he entered the main prayer room. He shot at worshippers huddled or lying on the ground.
They were huddled together because there was nowhere for them to escape in the open room.
One man ran at him and crashed into him, dislodging a magazine, but the shooter then fired several times and killed the man, whose actions allowed several other worshippers to escape.
He cleared his gun after it jammed and continued firing. He slowly and deliberately aimed at the heads of people who appeared to be alive and systematically shot them.
He shot a three-year-old with two precisely aimed shots.
Tarrant then went out of the mosque, firing at people in the distance and hitting them. He returned to his car and took another assault rifle, but did not take the incendiary equipment.
He then ran back to the mosque, killing a 16-year-old boy among the cars.
He then went inside and methodically fired 10 shots at the heads of dead and critically wounded worshippers.
Tarrant then went out into the main car park where he shot two women. He shot another woman who was lying at the side of the road, with her arms raised, crying for help, killing her.
As he drove away in his car, he drove directly over a woman's body.
Forty-four people were killed at Al Noor Mosque. Thirty-five others received gunshot wounds.
He fired at two other vehicles as he drove to the Linwood mosque. The vehicles contained people of African descent. He pointed his shotgun at another caucasian man who walked from an address onto Deans Ave but did not fire and drove off after giving a hand signal of some form.
He shot a man in traditional dress who was walking towards the mosque.
As he drove, he was talking and laughing and giving a commentary about various aspects of what had occurred. He pulled alongside a car with a Fijian driver and pulled the trigger of his shotgun but it failed to fire.
He stopped at the Linwood mosque where he shot four more people as he walked in, killing three of them. He shot and killed a man through a window at the mosque. As the shooter went back to his car, a man came from the mosque and screamed at him and then dived between cars as shots were fired at him.
He returned to the mosque with an assault rifle and shot and killed more worshippers.
He returned to the car and as he reversed the car, a man ran up with a discarded rifle. The gunman gave him a derogatory gesture, but the man threw the rifle at the car, shattering a window.
Seven people were killed at the Linwood mosque and five were wounded.
As he drove on Brougham St, police officers rammed his car with a police vehicle and arrested him. He did not offer resistance.
In total, 51 people were killed in the attacks, including men, women, and children. Forty people received gunshot wounds ranging in severity.
Many needed surgery and some will suffer lifelong physical effects.
The gunman admitted his actions when the police interviewed him. He said he wished he had burned down the mosques, and he was on his way to the Ashburton mosque when he was stopped.
He referred to his attacks as "terror attacks" and stated that his attacks were motivated by his ideological beliefs.
'The actions of the terrorist have changed Christchurch and New Zealand'
The first victim impact statement was then read by Gamal Makhtar Mohamed Fouda, an Imam who has lived in New Zealand for several years. He said he had been addressing the group from the pulpit when the attack took place, and he saw many people killed or injured through "the hate of a brain-washed terrorist".
He had worked closely with the police during the challenging process of having the bodies released for burial.
He said: "The actions of the terrorist have changed Christchurch and New Zealand but I love New Zealand and our society showed its love and support for us.
"This response was the opposite of what the terrorist had wanted. The world saw New Zealand as what it was and the terrorist was seen as a criminal.
"New Zealand is seen by the world as a model of compassion, love, and harmony.
"I say to the family [of the gunman], they have lost a son and we have lost many from within our community, too."
He told Tarrant: "You are misguided and misled. We are peaceful and a loving community who don't deserve your actions.
"We go to the mosque for peace and worship. If you have done anything, you have brought the world community closer with your evil actions."
The sentencing continues.
Where to find help and support:
Shine (domestic violence) - 0508 744 633
Women's Refuge - 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
What's Up - 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
Samaritans - 0800 726 666
Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
Shakti Community Council - 0800 742 584
