Radio communications from police and ambulance on March 15 were played to the coronial inquest on Thursday, showing the mountain of information and misinformation shared that day.
It was thought there were multiple active shooters in the city, even after the terrorist was arrested.
On March 15, the first call went out on police radio while the terrorist was still firing at Al Noor Mosque.
"We've just had a... machine gun fire sounded like at the mosque on Deans Ave," police dispatcher Dara Taylor said.
"We've had now seven calls; it states that a person is shooting a gun.
"Any AOS eta?" she asked.
As police officers closed in, the terrorist left Al Noor for Linwood.
One minute later, the first query came through St John radio.
Police officers were on the scene identifying the very first patient on the road.
Four minutes after the gunman left Al Noor, the police had his license plate.
"KSH90, K-S-H-9-0, offender is believed to be in this vehicle," one officer said.
"[It] comes back to a Dunedin address, it's registered to a Brenton Tarrant," Taylor said of the vehicle.
Three minutes later, the police had him in their sight.
"We're in pursuit of a vehicle on Brougham St," an officer said.
And two officers rammed his car on that same street.
"We've got one offender, with possible bombs in the car, he's armed up in his car, we've crashed into him," one of the officers who arrested the terrorist said.
"I don't know what’s going on.
"We've got him out of the car, he's got firearms, don't know whether he's with anyone but we've got petrol and bombs in the back of the car. He’s all cammo'ed [sic]."
Listening to the police and ambulance communications play out from that day reveals the mountain of incorrect information coming in and going out, which is partly why paramedics were so delayed getting to the injured.
"There's been shots fired at the ED department at Christchurch Hospital," one radio message said.
"Potentially an armed offender at St Michael's school opposite [the] police station," said another.
"We've been told by a member of [the] public that there's at least six armed people here. He says there's nine other offenders, their aim is to hit other mosques around the city," another said.
These communications delayed paramedics getting to the injured.
At 2:42pm, a call went out to all police from the district command centre.
"There are multiple fatalities throughout the city, your primary role is to keep yourself safe, secondly, the mission, the mission repeat, is to keep Christchurch safe."
