Terrorist shooting in 2 mosques in New Zealand: Over 40 dead
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that over 40 people have been killed in the attack, according to news agency AFP.
A man who claimed responsibility
for the shootings said in a manifesto that he was a 28-year-old white
Australian who came to New Zealand only to plan and train for the attack.
Of the confirmed 40 people
killed, 30 were killed at Al Noor mosque and 10 killed at Linwood mosque. That
10 figure includes three people who were outside Linwood Avenue mosque at the
time.
Australia’s
prime minister, Scott Morrison, has just confirmed that the shooter who was
taken into custody was an “Australian-born citizen”. He says Australian
authorities are now involved in investigations.Video footage widely circulated on social media, apparently taken by a gunman and posted online live as the attack unfolded, showed him driving to one mosque, entering it and shooting randomly at people inside.
Worshippers, possibly dead or wounded, lay huddled on the floor of the mosque, the video showed.
Reuters was unable to confirm the authenticity of the footage.
“This is one of New Zealand’s darkest days,” said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. “Clearly what has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence.”
Neither Ardern nor police gave a casualty toll.
Witnesses told media that a man dressed in a military-style, camouflage outfit, and carrying an automatic rifle had started randomly shooting people in the Al Noor mosque.
The Bangladesh cricket team was arriving for Friday prayers when the shooting occurred but all members were safe, a team coach told Reuters.
New Zealand’s Police Commissioner Mike Bush said “as far as we know” multiple fatalities occurred at two mosques. Police had one person in custody but they were not sure if others were involved, and people should stay away from mosques.
Police said earlier they were hunting “an active shooter” in the centre of Christchurch city.
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