Wrong victim named in initial NZ gunman charge document: police

Wrong victim named in initial NZ gunman charge document: police

New Zealand police admits it wrongly identified a victim believed to be shot dead by mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant.

Burials were carried out for victims killed in the New Zealand mosque terrorist attacks. (AFP pic)
CHRISTCHURCH:
New Zealand police on Thursday admitted that the person originally charged suspected mosques gunman Brenton Tarrant with murdering is actually still alive.

“An error was made in the charging document prepared for the first court appearance of the man charged with murder in relation to the Christchurch terror attacks,” a police spokesman told AFP.

“The error saw an incorrect victim name included in the charging document.”

Tarrant appeared in court Saturday on the first of what were expected to be multiple murder and other charges.

Fifty people died last Friday when a gunman entered the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island.

“We have spoken with the person incorrectly named on the charging document and apologised,” police said.

“The charge sheet will be amended. New Zealand Police regret this error and apologise for any harm caused by the mistake.”

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