2 days ago
LynnMall attack inquest: Police had no option but to shoot Amahed Samsudeen
Samsudeen was shot and killed by police at a Countdown supermarket in Auckland's New Lynn.
Photo:
2021 Getty Images / NZ Herald / Greg Bowker
The coronial inquest into LynnMall terrorist Amahed Samsudeen has heard officers had no option but to shoot him during his attack at an Auckland supermarket four years ago.
Samsudeen was shot and killed by police after stabbing four women and one man with a kitchen knife at a Countdown supermarket in Auckland's New Lynn.
Two others were injured trying to stop him.
Inspector Derek Sarney told the inquest Samsudeen did not cooperate with officers trying to de-escalate the situation.
"The officers were unable to de-escalated the threat any further, therefore, they had to remain with lethal force being the option presented to Mr Samsudeen," he said.
Offenders must show they are listening to commands so officers feel the threat reducing, something Sarney said Samsudeen did not do.
"Therefore, any other option, other than the firearm, was not available to them without increasing significant risk to themselves or members of the public."
Sarney said police believed Samsudeen posed a risk of death or grievous bodily harm to the public as well as the officers present during the attack.
"Mr Samsudeen's actions were unpredictable, uncooperative, threatening by carriage and use of a large bladed weapon, and were goal driven to resist arrest by force," he said.
Closing statements for phase one of the inquest are expected this afternoon.
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