Please attribute to Superintendent John Price, Canterbury District Commander:
Three people died in Christchurch City last night after fleeing from Police.
Approximately 11:13pm a vehicle was seen speeding in the CBD. A pursuit commenced but was abandoned very quickly due to the manner of driving by the offending vehicle.
It is believed the car has continued to drive at speed on Blenheim Road.
Police were not in pursuit of the vehicle at this stage but were laying spikes in attempt to stop the vehicle.
The vehicle hit the spikes and crashed into a tree, catching fire. Police officers immediately went to help those in the vehicle, however tragically all three occupants died at the scene.
An outcome like this is the last thing Police want to see.
We now have families who have lost their love ones and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.
We are currently working to notify and support their next of kin, as well as supporting our staff involved.
These incidents are always extremely testing for Police.
They are fast-moving, unpredictable and high pressure situations that require quick judgements.
Ultimately, Police are here to protect our community. Our staff must strike a balance between the responsibility to protect life and the duty to enforce the law.
A thorough Police investigation into this critical incident has commenced to establish the facts of what occurred and determine further action. This includes the notification to the Independent Police Conduct Authority, which is standard practise.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Team