Chilling details have emerged about the final moments of the New Zealand gunman who killed two people and left at least 10 injured in a mass shooting on Thursday morning.
The shooter, who stormed a construction site in Auckland's CBD, has been identified as 24-year-old Matu Tangi Matua Reid who had a history of violence and has been confirmed dead by police.
According to police, the 24-year-old made his way through the construction site firing a pump action shotgun, killing two civilians. Before he died, Reid barricaded himself in an elevator high up in the building and began firing at police, critically injuring one.
Gunman's history of violence
It's since been revealed the gunman — who did not hold a firearm licence — had a history of family violence and in March was charged with injuring with intent to injure, wilful damage, male assaults female and impeding breathing, New Zealand's Stuff reported.
The 24-year-old was under house arrest at the time of the shooting and was wearing an ankle bracelet, police confirmed. In New Zealand, people serving home detention can gain exemptions to work. In an afternoon press conference, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the gunman had been given an exemption to work at the construction site on lower Queen Street. Colleagues reportedly thought it was a prank until he opened fire.
Construction company LT McGuiness confirmed in a statement the gunman was an employee of a subcontractor that had been working on the project, New Zealand Herald reported. "Today’s tragic event has been a huge shock to us all,” the company said.
Shooting is an 'isolated incident'
The shooting is being treated as an isolated incident, not a national security threat, with no change to the country's terror settings. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the shooter had no identified ideological or political motivation.
Mr Hipkins said he had "deep sorrow" for the two victims, who were civilians killed inside the building. It was a "very grim morning" in New Zealand.
"I want to thank the brave men and women of the New Zealand police who ran into the gunfire, straight into harm's way in order to save the lives of others," he said. "These kind of situations move fast and the actions of those who risked their lives are nothing short of heroic."
He later revealed an investigation is underway into how the gunman managed to get hold of a firearm and if it could have been prevented in some way. Commissioner Coster said there had been a previous search of his property but police never found him in possession of a firearm.
BREAKING: Multiple people killed in Auckland, New Zealand mass shooting - NZHerald pic.twitter.com/COuI0A8IPl
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Terrified commuters flee the scene
Gunshots were heard just after 7.20am (5.20am AEST) in Auckland, police said. Local television outlets broadcast footage of workers on the roof of the building hiding behind packs of pre-mix cement.
Australian Erin Sokolowsky was on her way to work when the chaos unfolded.
"Within a minute of walking past [the construction site], waiting for the lights, gunfire started and people started running left, right and centre," she said.
"They said five shots. It sounded like more than that. Really loud and felt really close and we couldn’t hear or see where it was coming from.
"The best thing we can do is run and hid behind a wall and hightail it out of there."
Video posted to social media captured the gunshots heard by locals as workers were escorted from the building by police.
with AAP
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