Many people are reported to have been killed in two mass shootings at two separate mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday, 15 March.
The New Zealand Police Commissioner, Mike Bush addressed the media on the shootings. He said that the police has arrested four people, including one woman. He further said that the New Zealand police say they have defused a number of improvised explosive devices found on vehicles after the Mosque shootings.
One of the shooters reportedly live-streamed the whole incident online and even put out a manifesto.
Muslims Australia Statement
The federation of Islamic councils, in its statement condemning the terror attack, said that all mosques should be extra vigilant and asked the members of muslim community to be mindful of their safety in the coming days.
It said that the terror attack on Friday is a product of the “ever-increasing” Islamophobia and the marginalisation of muslims and is a reminder to everyone as to what hate and division can lead to.
Palestinian Man Saw Someone Get Shot in the Head
A Palestinian man in the mosque, who did not want to give his name, said he saw a man shot in the head.
“I heard three quick shots then after about 10 seconds it started again it must have been an automatic no one could pull a trigger that quick,” he told AFP.
“Then people started running out. Some were covered in blood.” Another witness told stuff.co.nz he was praying in the Deans Ave mosque when he heard shooting and saw his wife lying dead on the footpath outside when he fled.
Another man said he saw children being shot.
“There were bodies all over me,” he said.
An eyewitness told Radio New Zealand he heard shots fired and four people were lying on the ground, with “blood everywhere”.
Unconfirmed reports said the shooter was a wearing military-style clothing.
Mass shootings are rare in New Zealand, which tightened its gun laws to restrict access to semi-automatic rifles in 1992, two years after a mentally disturbed man shot dead 13 people in the South Island town of Aramoana.However, anyone over 16 can apply for a standard firearms licence after doing a safety course, which allows them to purchase and use a shotgun unsupervised.
Twitter Takes Down Suspect’s Profile
Twitter has taken down the account of the suspect involved with the shooting, Bloomberg reported.
Lockdown of Schools Lifted, Police Confirms
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
4/4 Media please note the stand up with Commissioner Mike Bush has been pushed back to 5.30pm. This will be held at the Royal Society on Turnbull Street, Thorndon, Wellington.
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
Police can now confirm the lock down of schools throughout Christchurch has been lifted. We would like to reassure members of the public that there is a large Police presence in the city and the safety of the community is our priority.
The New Zealand police, soon after the commissioner’s briefing, said that the lockdown on schools has been lifted throughout Christchurch. It said that there is a large number of police present in the city.
Police Commissioner Addresses Media, Says 4 Arrested
New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the police has arrested four people, including one woman. He added the police have defused a number of improvised explosive devices found on vehicles after the mosque shootings.
Mike Bush, Police Commissioner”There were a number of IEDs attached to vehicles that we stopped.”Witnesses Recount the Horror
Witness Len Peneha said he saw a man dressed in black enter the mosque and then heard dozens of shots, followed by people running from the mosque in terror.
Peneha, who lives next door to the mosque, said the gunman ran out of the mosque, dropped what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon in his driveway, and fled.
Peneha said he then went into the mosque to try and help.
“I saw dead people everywhere. There were three in the hallway, at the door leading into the mosque, and people inside the mosque,” he said.
Len Peneha, eyewitness “It’s unbelievable nutty. I don’t understand how anyone could do this to these people, to anyone. It’s ridiculous.”He said he helped about five people recover in his home. He said one was slightly injured.
One witness told stuff.co.nz he was praying in the Deans Ave mosque when he heard shooting and saw his wife lying dead on the footpath outside when he fled.
Another man said he saw children being shot.
“There were bodies all over me,” he said.
A man who was at the mosque during the incident is telling told TVNZ that he hasn’t seen his wife, who was also in the mosque this morning, since the shooting.
The man, who is a wheelchair and pushed himself out to the carpark, has a chilling account of the event, The Guardian reported.
He said he was in the side room and the imam had just started his sermon when the shooting started.
“It was very peaceful, calm and quiet, as it is when the sermon starts, you could hear a pin drop.””Then suddenly the shooting started. It started in the main room… I was in the side room, so I didn’t see who was shooting but I saw that some people were running out to my room where I was in, I saw some people had blood on their body and some people were limping. It was at the moment I realised things were really serious,” he said.
“So I tried too get out and I pushed myself at the back where my car was, and from there I heard the shooting, it went on six minutes or more, I could hear screaming and crying, I saw some people drop dead, some people were running away, I was in a wheelchair, so I couldn’t get anywhere.”The man then pushed himself back into the mosque after the shooting ended, trying to find his wife, and help others.
Police Commissioner to Address Media Shortly
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
3/4 We will provide updates on the incident as and when they are available and you can get these on our Facebook (link is external) page and website.
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
4/4 Media please note the stand up with Commissioner Mike Bush has been pushed back to 5.30pm. This will be held at the Royal Society on Turnbull Street, Thorndon, Wellington.
The New Zealand police said that the police commissioner Mike Bush will be addressing the media at 5:30 pm local time (10:00 am IST). The briefing will be held at the Royal Society on Turnbull Street, Thorndon, Wellington.
Bangladesh – New Zealand Test Match Cancelled After Shooting
Cricket test match between Bangladesh and New Zealand has been cancelled after the Christchurch shooting, the New Zealand cricket board confirmed.
New Zealand Police Urges People to Not Share Live Stream Video
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
5/5 There will be a media stand-up at 5pm today at the Royal Society Te Aparangi on Turnbull Street, Thorndon, Wellington.
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
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.
The New Zealand police urged people to not share the “extremely distressing footage relating to the incident in Christchurch”. The police said it is working to get the footage removed.
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
3/5 We urge New Zealanders to stay vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour immediately to 111. We are mobilising resources nationally and support is being brought into the District. We are still working to resolve this incident and we continue to urge Christchurch…
New Zealand Police✔@nzpolice
4/5 …residents to stay inside. We ask all mosques nationally to shut their doors, and advise that people refrain from visiting these premises until further notice.
The police also urged the residents to stay inside and asked all mosques in the country to shut their doors.
New Zealand Police”We ask all mosques nationally to shut their doors, and advise that people refrain from visiting these premises until further notice.”Bangladesh Cricket Team’s Escape
Members of the Bangladesh cricket team safely escaped from the first reported mosque shooting in Christchurch on Friday, 15 March.
Bangladesh Cricket Board spokesman Jalal Yunus said most of the team were bussed to the mosque and were about to go inside when the incident happened. “They are safe. But they are mentally shocked. We have asked the team to stay confined in the hotel,” he told AFP.
Cricketer Tamim Iqbal also tweeted out saying that the escape was a frightening experience.
Tamim Iqbal Khan✔@TamimOfficial28
Entire team got saved from active shooters!!! Frightening experience and please keep us in your prayers #christchurchMosqueAttack
The Bangladesh Cricket Board also tweeted out saying that the players are safe andback to their hotel.
Bangladesh Cricket✔@BCBtigers
All members of the Bangladesh Cricket Team in Christchurch, New Zealand are safely back in the hotel following the incident of shooting in the city. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in constant contact with the players and team management.#christchurchMosqueAttack
Bangladesh Cricket Board”All members of the Bangladesh Cricket Team in Christchurch, New Zealand are safely back in the hotel following the incident of shooting in the city. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in constant contact with the players and team management.”Shooter Live-Streamed the Incident, Posted Manifesto Online
Reports from New Zealand said the shooter has been identified as one Brenton Tarrant. He had live-streamed the whole incident online and had uploaded a lengthy manifesto before carrying out the shooting.
One of the Darkest Days for the Country: PM Addresses Press Briefing
The Prime Miniser of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern addressed the media on the shooting. She said that this is one of the darkest days for the country.
“This is one of New Zealand’s darkest days. It was an unprecedented act of violence. Police has apprehended a person, but I don’t have further details of him yet.”Police Says One in Custody, Might be More Offenders
The New Zealand police commissioner says one person is in custody, and the police believes that there may be other offenders, Reuters reported.
Reports of a Second Shooting in Another Mosque
There are reports of a second shooting in another mosque in the city, according to the New Zealand media, The Associated Press reported.
Local Media Reports Multiple Casualties
Many people were killed in a mass shooting at a mosque in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday, a witness said.
Police have not yet described the scale of the shooting but urged people in central Christchurch to stay indoors.
Comments are closed.