Forty-nine people are dead and 20 are injured after mass shooting attacks at two mosques in New Zealand, New Zealand police announced.
New Zealand policeannounced on Twitterthat 41 people were killed at the Masjid al Noor mosque while 7 died at the Linwood Masjid mosque on Linwood Avenue, while one died from their injuries in a hospital.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern referred to the incident as “an extraordinary act of unprecedented violence” and considered it to be “New Zealand’s darkest day.”
“It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack,” Ardern said. “From what we know, it does appear to have been well planned.”
A 28-year-old suspect, Brenton Tarrant, has been charged with murder and is due to appear in the Christchurch District Court tomorrow morning, according toUSA Today, theAustralian Broadcasting Corporationand the BBC.
Four people, three men and a woman, were taken into custody, but as of Saturday morning local time, only the 28-year-old and two others remained in custody, according to New Zealand Police.
Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
NBC News and other outlets report that just before the attack began, a man matching the profile of the suspect posted a long online manifesto withanti-Muslim and white supremacist themes.
The New York Timesreports that Moustafa Farouk, a spokesman for the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, said the attackoccurred during Friday prayer.
The PM said New Zealand was targeted because it was a place which celebrated multiculturism.
“These are people who I would describe as having extremist views that absolutely no place in New Zealand and no place in the world,” she added condemning those involved.
Mark Baker/AP/REX/Shutterstock
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage?Click hereto get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
Disturbingly, a male gunman live-streamed his attack on one of the mosques.
AFP/Getty Images
The man entered the mosque and began firing on terrified worshippers. He returned to a number of the mosque’s rooms multiple times firing on the already injured.
After leaving the mosque, the man shot a number of pedestrians before getting in his car and driving through the streets of the city’s central business district firing through his windshield and windows at other drivers.
PETE MARSDEN/AFP/Getty Images
The video has been circulating on the internet, but since it has been brought to police attention, officials have been working to remove the “extremely distressing footage.”
“Police are aware there is extremely distressing footage relating to the incident in Christchurch circulating online. We would strongly urge that the link not be shared. We are working to have any footage removed,” New Zealand Policewroteon Twitter.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush.Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
One mosque attendeetoldCNN the gunman fired shots at more than 200 people for approximately “10 to 15 minutes.”
Police have asked mosques across the country close their doors until further notice.
RELATED VIDEO: Multiple Deaths After Active Shooter Incident at Texas High School: Reports
“We are dealing with a very serious and tragic series of events,” New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said during apress conference Friday. “They involve an active shooter, they involve multiple fatalities.”
“I want to ask anyone that was thinking of going to a mosque anywhere in New Zealand today not to go, to close your doors, until you hear from us again,” he said.
source: people.com
