© NZ Herald Syed said the young man stole the gunman’s weapon. A young man who worked at the mosque bravely saw his opportunity and pounced on the shooter, taking his gun in the process.

“The hero tried to chase and he couldn’t find the trigger in the gun … he ran behind him but there were people waiting for him in the car and he fled.”

The fate of the unnamed hero is unclear but Mazharuddin said two of his friends died in the attack.

© Reuters

Armed officers at the scene“I ran out and then the police came and they didn’t let me come back in again so I couldn’t save my friend, he was bleeding heavily,” he said.

“It took almost half an hour, more than half an hour by the time the ambulance could arrive and I think he must have died.”