OK, they were not expecting it. But don't tell me the crimes don't happen in NZ at all!!
Come on mate, UK is quite peaceful too, compared to lot more countries. But here police response is way better.
I can understand slow response from the shooting at one place. But it is criminal that he was allowed to travel in his car to 5 km and kill more people, even then nobody was at the scene. According to the News now coming, an Afghan Muslim thrown a credit card reader on him. Later he got hold of one of terrorist's discarded gun, which was empty. But because of the gun, the terrorist flee the second mosque scene. Otherwise he came to collect a second gun and ammunition from his car. He intended to go back to the mosque and kill more innocent people.
Police arrived afterwards and two police officers then tackle him inside his car on a street. Dragging him out and arresting him.
A terrorist who just killed 50 people in broad day light, before been challenged by the Police let loose on the street of your second biggest city doesn't speaks volume for the efficiency of NZ police.
If you find it is because NZ is peaceful and its police calm. It is your thinking.
Well if you ask me, NZ should fire such police to be honest.