Police search NSW north coast homes of massacre gunman’s family
Counter terror police have executed search warrants at two addresses on the NSW north coast where the family of Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant live as security services reveal he spent 46 days in Australia on a number of visits since 2016.
NSW police have executed search warrants at two addresses on the north coast where the family of Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant live.
Officers from the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team are now searching the homes at Lawrence and Sandy Beach near Grafton where Tarrant grew up.
Counter terrorism officers are inside the Sandy Beach home of Tarrant’s sister Lauren to look for any communciations between the accused mass-murderer and his family.
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Four counter terrorism officers searched through three cars outside the home, including a white Toyota van parked in the front yard, which Tarrant is believed to have used last time he stayed in Australia.
At the tiny town of Lawrence, near Grafton, the Joint Counter Terrorism Team are also searching the home of the boyfriend of Sharon Tarrant, Brenton’s mother.
Sharon is also believed to be accompanying police on that search. Both women remain in the protective custody of police.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal that Tarrant had spent only 46 days in Australia on a number of visits since 2016.
The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand Police in their ongoing investigation, a spokesman said.
The community can be assured that there is no information to suggest a current or impending threat related to this search warrants, they added.
The raids came after the 28-year-old accused mass killer’s grandmother Marie Fitzgerald said she was “gobsmacked” to discover the bloody carnage had been unleashed by her grandson.
“We don’t know what to think … The media’s saying he’s planned it for a long time so he’s obviously not of sound mind,” Ms Fitzgerald told Channel 9.
“It’s just so much to take in that somebody in our family would do anything like this.
“He spent most of his time on computers … And playing games on computers but I don’t think girls were on the agenda, he said getting married was too hard.
“It’s only since he travelled overseas that that boy has changed completely,
A year ago he returned to Grafton for his sister’s birthday and family did not notice anything wrong.
“He was just his normal self we chatted and that sort of thing and had a meal together to celebrate that occasion,” she said.
His uncle Terry Fitzgerald said he could barely believe his nephew was responsible when his face appeared on television.
“We’re so sorry for the families over there for the dead and the injured … Just want to go home and hide,” he said.
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