Video footage has captured what appears to be the moment that the gunman was arrested in relation to the Christchurch mosque shootings.

In the video, two officers can be seen pointing firearms at a silver wagon that appears to have been rammed by a police car. The wheel of the suspect's car hangs in the air and can be seen spinning freely.

The officers then drag the driver out of the vehicle and onto the ground.

The footage of the arrest was taken on Friday afternoon on Brougham St following reports of the mass shooting at two mosques.

Christchurch resident, Mike, was driving back to work when he saw the police cars and started filming.

"I thought it was a police chase and then I saw the car was up on one wheel and still in drive," Mike said.

"I saw him being thrown on the ground by police and at that point I didn't know the severity of it."

At that point Mike didn't know about the shooting but was curious as to why the man being arrested looked like an Armed Offender Squad member.

"He looked like he was dressed in SWAT gear," Mike said.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said many people would have seen the footage of the arrest, and said it could only be described as an act of bravery.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush praised officers during a press conference on Friday evening.

"I would also like to commend – and some of you would have seen, the brave actions on social media of police staff who responded to this incident," he said.

"They have gone above and beyond on behalf of their communities to apprehend at least one of these offenders, so I take my hat off to all of my staff. I'm extremely proud of what they've done today."

At the conference, Bush said 49 people were known to have died in the "unprecedented, abhorrent" incident.

A 28-year-old Australian man appeared at Christchurch District Court on Saturday morning charged with murder, and two others remain in custody.

Stuff

Source: Read Full Article