Inquiry Begins into Response Times and Survivability in New Zealand's Worst Mass Shooting

Examining Details of Police and Medical Response, Functionality of Emergency Exits, and Potential for Reduced Future Incident Casualties in Overdue Inquest into Christchurch Unprecedented Terrorist Act, Four Years After Event

The inquiry into New Zealand's worst mass shooting, in which 51 people were killed in Christchurch in 2019, began on October 24, 2023, led by Deputy Chief Coroner Brigitte Windley.
The six-week inquest will scrutinize detailed response times of police and medic personnel during the attack, exploring whether the death could have been prevented or minimized.
Police entered the Al Noor mosque, where initial shootings took place, at around 1:54 p.m., while ambulance staff entered the mosque at 2:15 p.m., approximately 35 minutes after the shooting started.
A significant part of the inquest will investigate the functionality of an emergency exit door at the Al Noor mosque which, reportedly, people were unable to open as they attempted to escape during the shooting.
The inquiry will also consider whether Brenton Tarrant, the convicted gunman, had any direct assistance during his attack, and whether the incident could have been preempted through alternative preventative measures.