The Dunedin home where terrorist Brenton Tarrant planned his massacre and wrote his sickening manifesto has been pictured for the first time, as neighbours reveal he was a ‘loner’ who never had visitors.
Police descended on the Anderson’s Bay property, located four-and-half hours south of Christchurch, hours after the shooting Friday night, as nearby residents were evacuated.
Neighbours Brooke and Alistair, who live in the apartment adjacent to the killer, have told Daily Mail Australia Tarrant’s rampage has come as a complete shock as they say he appeared to be a ‘lovely guy.’
A killer’s lair: This is the one-bedroom apartment where suspected mass murderer Brenton Tarrant planned his massacre and wrote his chilling 73-page manifesto
Neighbours described Tarrant as a ‘lovely guy’ but admitted they did not know much about him. Pictured above is the killer’s kitchen
Tarrant reportedly never had guests or visitors at his one-bedroom apartment and often kept to himself
The couple were barred from entering their home until Saturday evening, after authorities had conducted a thorough search of the 28-year-old gunman’s home.
Brooke said Tarrant never had anyone over his one-bedroom apartment, and had never drawn attention to himself.
Photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia show the interior of the nondescript apartment which cost $280 per week, according to a listing.
Brooke said she and Alistair had a few friendly interactions with the Australian man, but did not know much about him.
‘We’ve got family up in Christchurch, so we were calling them (to see if they were okay) and then suddenly they’re calling us to say our house was on the news,’ she said.
Another neighbour, Tristan, said he had also never seen anyone coming or going from Tarrant’s home, but said the self-confessed terrorist had always given him a smile and a wave in passing.
The horrific event has left residents of Somerville Street in shock, with one remarking it had helped him meet a lot of his neighbours.
Photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia show the interior of the nondescript apartment which cost $280 per week, according to a listing
Police remained at the house well into Saturday morning, with one officer telling Daily Mail Australia authorities were guarding the home 24 hours a day to keep the scene secure.
Overnight, officers were seen standing out the front, armed with large guns, while on Saturday morning they could be seen inside the weatherboard home.
The horrific event has left residents of Somerville Street in shock
Police swarmed the home on Friday hours after Tarrant recorded himself gunning down dozens of innocent victims at a Christchurch mosque
Police remained at the house well into Saturday morning, with one officer telling Daily Mail Australia authorities were guarding the home 24 hours a day to keep the scene secure
Tarrant, an Australian national who moved to New Zealand years ago, admitted his plans for his attack in a chilling 73-page manifesto in which he revealed he had been inspired by previous mass murderers.
Tarrant is suspected of killing at least 50 Muslim worshipers during Friday prayer at Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch while livestreaming the massacre online.
The man said he initially planned to carry out the attack at the Al Huda mosque in Dunedin, the only mosque in the city, but later targeted the two mosques in Christchurch because they had ‘far more invaders.’
On Sunday, a rainbow of bright flowers, teddy bears, balloons and signs line the fence of the Al Huda mosque.
On the footpath, colourful chalk spell out messages of support, with some quoting bible verses, others writing ‘you are not alone’ and one person memorialising the man who had opened the door at the Al Noor mosque on Friday afternoon.
Police look on as locals lay flowers and condolences at the Huda Mosque in tribute to those killed and injured on Friday’s shooting, outside the Al Huda Mosque
On Sunday, a rainbow of bright flowers, teddy bears, balloons and signs line the fence of the Al Huda mosque
Locals said the flowers had begun flowing in about 9am on Saturday morning, and most of the tributes stuck to the fence had appeared overnight
The footpath was flooded with heartfelt messages written in chalk, with some reading ‘Kia Kaha,’ meaning,’ Stay strong’
Locals said the flowers had begun flowing in about 9am on Saturday morning, and most of the tributes stuck to the fence had appeared overnight.
‘Hello brother’, they wrote above a love heart. ‘we stand together’.
Another wrote a letter apologising for the atrocities that had taken place. ‘I am so sorry to let you down,’ it read.
‘This is your country. We will do better for you. Kia Kaha (stay strong)’
On the fence was an all blacks flag, a new Zealand flag and a string of others, including Australia’s.
‘It’s a shock to everyone. This isn’t what we are all about,’ a policeman who arrived at the mosque on Sunday morning said.
Armed police are guarding tarrants house in Anderson bay 24 hours a day, not wanting to take any chances.
About 1am, two officers were seen standing in the garden outside the darkened home, both holding large guns.