Spa man hides as gunman unleashes wave of bloodshed

Spa man hides as gunman unleashes wave of bloodshed

20 March 2019

A BALLYNAHINCH man has told how he hid in fear with work colleagues while a far-right extremist murdered 50 Muslims in New Zealand’s worst terrorist incident. 

Timmy Roulston was working in downtown Christchurch when he heard a mass of police sirens and saw emergency services rushing off around 2pm on Friday.

Once the emergency services knew there was an attack underway, all public offices, work places and schools were under a lock-down.

Told to secure doors, pull down grills and stay away from windows, the 31 year-old said that he watched with horror as the shooter live broadcasted his attack on worshippers at two mosques.

Those who died were aged between seven and 71. Dozens of other injured people remain in hospital.

“It was the most surreal thing in the world, absolutely crazy,” said Mr Roulston. “It was like every police car was involved as we are right beside the Justice precinct in Christchurch.

“Initially all we knew was what was being said on the media. We heard there was one shooter, 

then there were 10 shooters. But we really didn’t know where it was happening or what location would be next.

“Then the live broadcast came on one of my friend’s Facebook and it looked like some kind of computer game. It was awful. 

“We couldn’t believe it was happening but we couldn’t stop watching it as we wanted to see where he would go next.”

Mr Roulston, who works for the Ford motor company, said that he and his colleagues were allowed to leave around 4pm.

“That drive home was really strange as there was literally nobody about on the streets. Christchurch is normally a quiet city but this was really eerie.”

He said that while he did not personally know any of the victims of the shooter, Australian Brenton Tarrant, one of his Muslim friends lost several close family friends.

“We have a really good friend and we recently attended her child’s birthday party. We know that she has lost people dear to her,” said Mr Roulston.

Mr Roulston is one of the three sons of Mrs Mary Roulston MBE, the former principal of Millennium Integrated Primary School in Saintfield, and her husband Mervyn.

As there is a 13-hour time difference between New Zealand and Northern Ireland, he knew his mother would be alarmed when she heard the breakfast news the next day at home, so he sent her a text to tell her that all was well.

A former Down High student from the Spa Road, Mr Roulston has settled in New Zealand with his partner, Marian McCrory, for the past four years.

He is due to come back shortly to be with his mother when she receives her MBE in London. 

While he and his colleagues 

were all safe, he said that for his manager, who had school-age children, his concern was heightened as schools were under lockdown until 6pm.

One of the mosques attacked in Linwood was close to his office and his partner works in Christchurch Hospital close to the Al Noor mosque in Riccarton.

“It’s only minutes between the two sites and so we were both close to the attacks,” said Mr Roulston. 

Mr Roulston said that it was New Zealand’s reputation for being very inclusive and welcoming to every creed and culture which attracted him to live there.

However, he’s shocked to think that such an attack could happen in Christchurch and how relaxed the country’s gun laws are.

“I actually thought that the gun laws were tighter over here,” said Mr Roulston.

“If someone wants to buy guns and magazines, it probably not as hard as we think.”

He praised both Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Mayor of Christchurch, Lianne Dalziel, for showing leadership and compassion for the victims and their families in the aftermath.