Public security

'Hell of a coincidence': Officers who took down alleged Christchurch gunman were at training exercise

While there are countless stories of tragedy emerging from Christchurch, there are also many of heroic bravery.

In particular, the two officers who took to the streets hunting the alleged gunman before taking him down on the footpath.

It's unlikely the person who filmed it knew exactly what was happening, but video shows armed police wrestling a man to the ground in broad daylight on the side of the road.
The world now knows it was the man accused of the Christchurch killings.

The officers who tracked him down are being described as "heroic".

"Those two police officers acted with absolute courage," Police Commissioner Mike Bush told media. "I am so proud of what they've done."

We now know more about exactly what happened in the moments before, including the fact that the officers were at a training day, preparing for an event like Friday's tragedy.