Latest news with #LynnMall
RNZ News
7 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
Lynnmall stabbing survivors to speak at attacker Ahamed Samsudeen's death inquest
Samsudeen died after being shot 12 times by the police. Photo: Supplied Survivors of a terror attack at Auckland's LynnMall nearly four years ago are expected to give personal statements at an inquest into the death of their attacker - Ahamed Samsudeen - at a coroner's court in Auckland today. The first phase of the coronial inquest into the death of Ahamed Samsudeen will take place over the next two weeks. On 3 September 2021, during Auckland's Covid-19 lockdown, Samsudeen stabbed five people, after taking a knife from the supermarket shelf at the Woolworths in LynnMall. Two others were also injured in the process. Samsudeen died after being shot 12 times by the police. Photo: He was under surveillance at the time, after being released from prison months before the attack. Since the terror attack, his history and the moments leading to his death have been scrutinised by multiple agencies, including the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, the Office of the Inspectorate at the Department of Corrections, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority, who found that police were justified in their shooting of him. However, the scope of this inquest will reveal to the public previously unheard details of the attack, Samsudeen's path to extremism, and the management of him in the community. It will also explore the circumstances that that lead Samsudeen to carry out the attack, and the impact it had on victims and witnesses. Phase one of the inquest will focus on the events of the day of the attack. Phase two and phase three of the inquest are expected to take place later this year and early next year, with dates yet to be confirmed. On Wednesday, the inquest is expecting to hear accounts of the events of 3 September from some of the survivors and witnesses. Samsudeen was granted refugee status in 2013 and was identified by the SIS as a terrorist threat in early 2017. He was arrested at Auckland Airport in 2017 for allegedly expressing intent to join the Islamic State, and was subsequently jailed for four years over a set of charges including - two charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage, failing to assist the police in their exercise of a search power and representative charges of knowingly distributing restricted material; later possessing an objectionable publication and failing to assist a police officer. Samsudeen's refugee status was cancelled in 2019, but authorities were unable to deport him upon his release from prison in 2021 - as he was still qualified as a protected person under the Immigration Act. In the months leading up to the attack, Sumsudeen was staying at a mosque, as the police continued to surveil him without his knowledge. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- General
- RNZ News
Inquest into the death of LynnMall knife attacker Ahamed Samsudeen to begin
Photo: 2021 Getty Images / NZ Herald / Greg Bowker An inquest into the death of Ahamed Samsudeen, the man shot dead by police after stabbing shoppers at an Auckland supermarket in 2021 , begins on Tuesday. LynnMall's Countdown supermarket was one of the few stores open on 3 September, 2021, with Auckland in lockdown due to Covid-19. That afternoon it would become the scene of a terror attack. Samsudeen, who had been tailed by surveillance officers for the past seven weeks, took a knife from a supermarket shelf and stabbed six people. Another was injured trying to stop the attack. Moments later Samsudeen was dead, shot 12 times by police. In the years since, Samsudeen's history and the moments leading to his death have been scrutinised and analysed in multiple reports and investigations. But the latest, a coronial inquest set for the next five weeks, will cover previously unheard details of the shocking attack. Legal arguments will begin on Tuesday, followed by evidence from eyewitnesses and experts over the following days and weeks. The officers who killed Samsudeen will not give evidence, having already been investigated by the Independent Police Conduct Authority in 2022. Coroner Marcus Elliott set the scope for the inquest last year, ruling it would cover Samsudeen's path to extremism, his management in the community, and what happened on the day he died. Samsudeen had been monitored since 2015 and was arrested at Auckland Airport in 2017 for allegedly expressing his intent to join Islamic State. He would spend the next four years in prison . His refugee status was cancelled in 2019, but he was still qualified as a protected person under the Immigration Act and authorities could not deport him or hold him in custody after he was released from prison in 2021. In the months before the attack, Samsudeen was housed at a mosque as he tried to reintegrate into the community. The mosque was chosen for its positive relationship with the police, and the chair provided regular updates on Samsudeen's progress. Police also continued to surveil Samsudeen without his knowledge. Ahamed Samsudeen. Photo: Supplied The police surveillance team, which followed Samsudeen to LynnMall, were not equipped to stop the attack - armed only with pepper spray to avoid breaking their cover. That responsibility instead fell to a pair of Special Tactics Group officers supporting the surveillance team from afar, who rushed inside the supermarket when they saw shoppers fleeing. Neither had time to equip themselves with Tasers and only had access to the Glock pistols holstered on their person, making lethal force their only option to stop the attack. The inquest will explore the circumstances that lead Samsudeen to carry out the attack, and the impact it had on victims and witnesses. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
17-05-2025
- RNZ News
Lynnmall incident: Suspect still on the run after police raid
Lynnmall. Photo: Ziming Li A man has been charged with aggravated robbery and a second suspect is still on the loose after police swarmed Auckland's LynnMall on Saturday. At about 5pm, police were called to Batkin Road where a person reported being robbed by two men and threatened with a firearm. The offenders fled in the victim's vehicle, which was tracked by the police Eagle helicopter to LynnMall on Great North Road. Police said a 25-year-old has been charged with aggravated robbery and was due to appear in Auckland District Court on Monday. They are still looking for the second suspect. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
17-05-2025
- RNZ News
One arrested after armed police swarm Auckland's LynnMall
Photo: RNZ Police have arrested one person after swarming Auckland's LynnMall. Around 5pm, police were called to a Batkin Road address in New Windsor, where a person reported being robbed by two men and threatened with a firearm. The offenders fled in the victim's vehicle, which was tracked by the Police Eagle helicopter to LynnMall on Great North Road. Two occupants of the car entered the mall on foot, prompting the police to temporarily restrict access as a precaution. After an extensive search, police took one suspect into custody and a firearm was also recovered. Enquiries are ongoing to locate the second suspect. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
17-05-2025
- RNZ News
Armed police swarm Auckland's LynnMall looking for person of interest
Photo: RNZ The public is being urged to follow the police's instructions as armed officers swarm LynnMall in Auckland. Police say they are looking for a person of interest after an earlier incident. No shots have been fired but some officers will be armed as a precaution. Hato Hone St John says it was not called to attend. Police say there is no further information. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
