On Tuesday, forensic officials began an investigation into the worst mass shooting incident in New Zealand, amid traditional ceremonies from the Māori people and recitations from the Quran in memory of the 51 Muslim worshippers killed by an Australian extremist who believes in white supremacy. Deputy Chief Coroner Brigid Winfield stated, "The investigation will seek to shed light on what happened and will consider making recommendations to reduce the chances of a similar incident occurring again." She added, "This investigation is not about determining responsibility or shortcomings... I do not have the mandate to provide compensation or take further action."
Brenton Tarrant (32), armed with high-capacity semi-automatic weapons, killed 51 people and injured dozens when he opened fire on worshippers in two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019. Tarrant had broadcast a racist manifesto shortly before the attack and live-streamed the shooting on Facebook. He was convicted of 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one count of committing a terrorist act, and is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Over the next six weeks, the investigation will examine ten issues, including the response of emergency services and hospital staff, whether Tarrant received direct assistance from anyone else, and the cause of death for each person. Winfield is not expected to release the findings of the investigation until 2024.
