Terror Attacks on Christchurch Mosque in New Zealand, leaves 49 people dead
49 people killed in in a terrorist attack that appeared to be carried out by a white nationalist extremist. A gunman left 49 people shot dead and wounded more than 40 at two New Zealand mosques while they were kneeling at prayer.
The shooter, posted a racist manifesto online and streamed live video of the attacks on Facebook. This 7-minute video posted online and seen by The Wall Street Journal shows the other shooting at Al Noor Mosque unfolding. In it, a man drives a silver Subaru station wagon with martial music playing over the car stereo.
The footage shows graffiti-covered weapons on the passenger seat and, briefly, a front profile of the driver wearing military-style knee protectors over camouflage trousers.
Facebook said it had removed the suspect’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and was working to remove any copies of the footage. The live-stream of the attack lasted for 17 minutes.
Police charged a 28-year-old Australian suspect, Brenton Tarrant, with murder. Authorities arrested two other suspects, as they try to determine whether they were involved in the massacre.
One unnamed survivor told TV New Zealand that he had seen the gunman shoot a man in the chest. The attacker reportedly targeted the men’s prayer room in the mosque, then moved to the women’s room.
Sam Clarke, a reporter with TVNZ, spoke with several people inside the Masjid Al Noor mosque when the shooting began. He told Al Jazeera a man entered with an automatic weapon and began firing.
“A gunman – dressed in black with a helmet carrying a machine gun – came into the back of the mosque and started firing into the people praying there,” Clarke said.
“While the nation grapples with a form of grief and anger that we have not experienced before, we are seeking answers,” said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Saturday. She said New Zealand would review its gun laws.
President Trump, who was cited in the manifesto as a source of inspiration, told reporters he did not see white nationalism as a rising threat around the world and attributed such attacks to “a small group of people that have very, very serious problems.” He also said he had not seen the manifesto.
