Latest news with #WestAuckland
1News
2 days ago
- Health
- 1News
New Lynn terror attack: CCTV shows attacker on way to supermarket
For the first time CCTV footage that shows LynnMall terror attacker Ahamad Samsudeen before he unleashed a vicious knife attack inside the supermarket is able to be published. The 32-year-old Sri Lankan man was shot dead by police on the afternoon of September 3, 2021, after stabbing several shoppers inside the west Auckland Countdown. On day one of a coronial inquest into what happened that day - which opened with statements from those injured in the attack - footage was shared showing Samsudeen's movements in the lead up to the terror attack that injured seven. Adamad Samsudeen injured seven people in the stabbing attack before being fatally shot by police. (Source: Supplied) The footage that's able to be published includes a walking map which showed the approximately 36 minutes in the lead up to Samsudeen's attack. ADVERTISEMENT It shows him leaving the west Auckland mosque where he'd been staying around 1.30pm. He's seen making a brief stop at the Heidi Street Dairy on West Coast Road, before walking back out onto the streets towards the Glen Eden Train Station where he boards a train and is seen disembarking at 2.20pm. Subsequent police investigations show that during that walk he had three times accessed sites and listened to objectionable material that promoted terrorism. (Source: NZ Police) Speaking on behalf of police, Detective Senior Sergeant Jason McIntosh said surveillance officers at the time had decided not to follow him in to the supermarket, because until the incident his behaviour was not out of the ordinary. He'd also made inquiries about future work, accommodation, and engaged with new lawyers, signalling plans for the future. Officers also feared entering the supermarket, which was quieter than normal due to level 4 Covid restrictions, could risk blowing their cover. ADVERTISEMENT Footage of attack withheld An earlier video from the month prior, on August 12, is now also able to be shared publicly. It shows Samsudeen browsing various aisles and he appeared to take particular notice of the area where the knives were kept. LynnMall terror attacker Ahamad Samsudeen at a West Auckland Countdown in the weeks before the attack. (Source: NZ Police ) The remainder of the footage, from inside the supermarket on the day of the attack, was also played in closed court, but remains subject to non-publication orders. Police had earlier made submissions that the footage was graphic, could compromise the safety of police officers, and breached the privacy of witnesses in the supermarket during a traumatic event. In a memo submitted to the coroner, police wrote: "Showing the footage publicly could give rise to a risk of irrational, disproportionate or otherwise inexplicable reaction from members of the public such that the safety of police officers generally becomes compromised." It also raised "the prospect of the footage being used to glorify the actions of any interested party is a matter of concern". ADVERTISEMENT In opening the inquiry at a hearing room in Newmarket, Auckland, this morning Coroner Marcus Elliott acknowledged all those who suffered physical and mental harm as a result of Samsudeen's actions that day. Over the next 10 days phase one of the three-part inquiry will look specifically at what happened on the day - in particular what happened inside the supermarket. Phase two and and three will look more closely at the time he spent in prison and the time he spent in the community, to see if anything could have been done to prevent his radicalisation and the violent attack. Ahamed Samsudeen at Glen Eden station (Source: NZ Police) "I hope this process helps to answer some of the questions that you have," Coroner Elliott told the victims who were in court today. He added there was no intent to revisit the conclusions of the numerous multi-agency reviews - including the IPCA report that ruled the two police officers were justified in shooting Samsudeen as they believed he posed an immediate risk. But he said the coronial inquiry would add to those findings by seeking to find answers to the remaining questions; which included whether there were alternative options to deal with Samsudeen on that day, and whether there was some way he could have been diverted from his path. 'We are no longer the individuals we used to be' ADVERTISEMENT The inquiry also heard a number of opening statements from victims of the attack. A woman, whose name remains suppressed, described how all of those affected by the terror attack have been "forever changed by the violent actions of one individual". "We have all been grappling with the symptoms that intrude upon our daily lives," she told the court. "Simple triggers like the smell of milk; the sound of screaming, or the wail of sirens, or the sound of helicopters, can briefly transport us back to that terrifying moment. "We find ourselves in a constant state of high alert, caught in a relentless cycle of fight, or freeze... for some the mere thought of entering a supermarket has become an insurmountable obstacle and a stark reminder of the trauma we continue to endure." She said many have struggled to return to work, or do the things they enjoy, and some have struggled to pay bills - especially those who've needed to pay for psychiatric treatment which isn't covered by ACC. "We are no longer the individuals we used to be, and coming to terms with this new reality is profoundly difficult. There is a deep longing to return to who we were." ADVERTISEMENT She says it's a burden carried not just by the victims, but their families, children, partners, siblings and friends. "They have all been affected, they too are forced to navigate the ripples of our trauma. Struggling to support us, while managing their own fears and anxieties."
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Woman pleads not guilty to theft after receiving mistaken bank transfer
Auckland retiree Sit Bong (Andrew) Che. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen A woman charged with theft after receiving a pensioner's life savings by mistake has entered a not guilty plea. The 38-year-old West Auckland woman appeared before a magistrate at the Auckland District Court on Tuesday. Auckland retiree Sit Bong (Andrew) Che, 78, mistakenly transferred $158,643 from the UK early last year to the wrong account after missing a digit when entering payment instructions for his own Westpac account. Following the bank's own internal protocols, Westpac added a zero to the suffix, which ended up being another person's account. The recipient refused to return the money despite complaints Che lodged with the police, the banks in New Zealand and the UK as well as the banking ombudsman in both jurisdictions. Barclays Bank refunded Che's money in May, more than a year after the erroneous transfer occurred. A 37-year-old West Auckland man also pleaded not guilty to a charge of receiving $64,000 from the woman. The pair face up to seven years' imprisonment if convicted. They have been granted interim name suppression on the grounds of hardship and fair trial rights until their next appearance on 15 July. The pair have been placed on bail with conditions that include not associating with the complainant.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Man charged after alleged indecent exposure in West Auckland
Police executed a search warrant and arrested a man on Saturday. Photo: 123RF A 19-year-old man has been arrested, after he allegedly indecently exposed himself to a woman near Green Bay High School in West Auckland. Police said the incident occurred on the afternoon of 27 May on Stottholm Road and the man was arrested on Saturday, after officers executed a search warrant. He is due to appear in the Waitākere District Court on 3 June. Detective Senior Sergeant Megan Goldie said police were also investigating a separate suspicious approach on Atkinson Road in Titirangi on the morning of 28 May to determine whether the two incidents were connected. Police ask anyone with information that may assist the investigation to get in touch by calling 105 or updating them online, referencing file number 250528/1736. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- RNZ News
Auckland tenants ordered to pay for fire damage after rubbish blaze
By Hannah Bartlett, Open Justice reporter of Photo: 123RF A tenant had no explanation for a rubbish fire at the West Auckland house she rented, which caused damage to windows and weatherboards, other than to suggest it was a "rough area" with "gang members" living nearby. However, the landlords suggested there was an obvious explanation for the fire at the Kelston house, as it happened hours after they'd emailed asking for a pile of rubbish to be removed. After the fire, Karlee Eileen Naomi Thompson and Sarge Rolly Te Tonga were taken to the Tenancy Tribunal by their landlords, who were granted name suppression, over damage caused at the rental property. In the recently released findings, the landlords made claims for rubbish removal and cleaning costs, and for damage caused by the rubbish fire. Two windows needed replacing, as well as weatherboards. The fire happened about 4pm. Contractors working nearby saw the fire and a person, known to live at the property, when it was ablaze. The tribunal adjudicator noted that arson was a serious crime that typically resulted in imprisonment in the event of conviction. "It is improbable that an unknown person without any motive would set fire to the rubbish pile," the adjudicator found. "It is more likely that one of the tenants or another occupier lit the fire in response to the landlords' request to get rid of the rubbish." Thompson denied responsibility for the fire but could not offer a plausible alternative explanation for what may have caused it, the decision said. She said that it was a "rough area" with "gang members living in the community". The adjudicator was satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that "one of the tenants and/or one or more of their guests" lit the pile of rubbish next to the house. "In lighting the fire, that person knew that the house would inevitably be damaged," the adjudicator said. "I find on the balance of probabilities that the lighter of the fire caused the damage intentionally. Because the fire lighter was a tenant or an authorised guest, the tenants are liable for the cost of repair." One of the landlords had asked her insurer if it would cover the cost of the fire damage. However, after she told the insurer that one of the tenants lit the fire, the insurer advised it would not cover the event because it had been deliberate. The landlord's contractor charged $6037 to repair the damage. The adjudicator said the tribunal should return the landlord to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations. The original windows were only four or five years old; the weatherboards were in good condition before the fire, but had not been painted for an indefinite number of years. "I consider I should apply depreciation at the rate of 10 percent, having regard to the age and condition of the windows and weatherboards at the start of the tenancy," the adjudicator said. The tribunal ordered the tenants to pay $5433.30 for the cost of repairing the damage. They also had to pay $460 for rubbish removal. Part of this was covered by the bond already lodged, which was $2800. The total amount left for the tenants to pay was $3120.30. - This story was first published by New Zealand Herald.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Kiwi barbecuers take out Grand Champion title
In the world of competitive barbecuing, two west Auckland brothers have sizzled their way to a big win across the Tasman. With their expert crusting, marinating and glazing, Cook Cartel became the first international team to take out the Grand Champion title at Meatstock Sydney. And they did it in style - cooking up an almost perfect score across all categories. To tell me all about it I'm joined by master barbecuer Steve Cook. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
