multiple fatalities after mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch New Zealand

[Anonymous]

I just learned about this a few minutes ago and I have few details.



There are "multiple fatalities" after shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch, police in New Zealand have confirmed.



Police commissioner Mike Bush confirmed that one person is in custody, but said it was unclear if others were involved.



Witnesses told local media they ran for their lives, and saw people bleeding on the ground outside the Al Noor mosque.



Authorities advised all mosques to shut down until further notice. All Christchurch schools are on lockdown.



In a statement to the nation, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said details were not yet clear, "but I can tell you now - this will be one of New Zealand's darkest days".



Mohan Ibrahim, who was in the area of the Al Noor mosque, told the New Zealand Herald: "At first we thought it was an electric shock but then all these people started running.



"I still have friends inside.



"I have been calling my friends but there are many I haven't heard from. I am scared for my friends lives."



It is not yet known how many shooters there were, but the Herald reports that one gunman is believed to be an Australian who has written a manifesto outlining his intentions. In it, he espouses far-right ideology and anti-immigrant ideology.



Unverified footage purportedly taken by the shooter has emerged, suggesting he filmed as he shot victims.



Witnesses at the Al Noor mosque, located in central Christchurch along Deans Avenue, facing Hagley Park, reported seeing people bleeding on the ground outside the building, but such details have not been confirmed by police or officials.



One unnamed survivor told TV New Zealand he saw a gunman shoot a man directly in the chest. He estimated that the shooting lasted for 20 minutes and that up to 60 people may have been injured.



The gunman reportedly targeted the men's prayer room in the mosque, then moved to the women's room.



"What I did was basically just waiting and praying, God please, let this guy run out of bullets," the witness said.



"He came to this side, he shot this side, he went to another room and went to the ladies' section and shot them. I just heard one of the ladies has died."



How are the authorities responding?

A spokeswoman said Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) has activated its mass casualty plan, according to New Zealand news site Stuff.nz.



The plan includes clearing emergency room space for casualties. The spokeswoman did not comment on how many patients were expected.



Police have cleared Cathedral Square, where thousands of children were holding a rally for action on climate change.



Police Commissioner Mike Bush said: "Police are responding with its full capability to manage the situation, but the risk environment remains extremely high.



"Police recommend that residents across Christchurch remain off the streets and indoors until further notice."



Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted: "I'm horrified by the reports I'm following of the serious shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand. The situation is still unfolding but our thoughts and prayers are with our Kiwi cousins."



Who has been caught up in the attack?

As well as numerous witness reports of casualties, a reporter following the Bangladesh cricket team, who are currently in New Zealand, tweeted that the team had "escaped from a mosque near Hagley Park where there were active shooters".



Player Tamim Iqbal tweeted that the "entire team got saved from active shooters".



Bangladesh Cricket Board spokesman Jalal Yunus said most of the team had gone to mosque by bus and were about to go inside when the incident took place.



"They are safe. But they are mentally shocked. We have asked the team to stay confined in the hotel," he told the AFP news agency.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47578798">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47578798

[Anonymous]

Sounds like this was no spur of the moment thing. The shooters were planning this for a while.

[Anonymous]

I just watched a New Zealand police official speak..



Authorities have fou people in custody, three men and one woman.

[Frood]

Ban Australian born Brits in NZ?



Maybe we can gps track them?

[Anonymous]

Ban Australian born Brits in NZ?



Maybe we can gps track them?

Was one or more of the shooters from Australia?

[Frood]

Ban Australian born Brits in NZ?



Maybe we can gps track them?

Was one or more of the shooters from Australia?

The one was. There are three others in custody.

[Anonymous]

Ban Australian born Brits in NZ?



Maybe we can gps track them?

Was one or more of the shooters from Australia?

The one was. There are three others in custody.

I haven't read many details about it..



I only found out about this senseless tragedy an hour ago.

[Anonymous]

There was an anti immigrant manifesto and a number of ca bombs defused. This looks like a Norway massacre copycat.

[Wazzzup]

Just read-- 4 in custody (3 men and a woman)  and 30 or more believed dead, very sad.



I had no idea there were even mosques in NZ, much less any animosity by any Aussie's against them.



EDIT: this one says the gunman liked Trump https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8642007/christchurch-mosque-shootings-brit-gunman-racist-manifesto-trump-supporter/">https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8642007/c ... supporter/">https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8642007/christchurch-mosque-shootings-brit-gunman-racist-manifesto-trump-supporter/

[caskur]

Ban Australian born Brits in NZ?



Maybe we can gps track them?

Was one or more of the shooters from Australia?

Doesn't mean they are Australian... Australia is multicultural.



49 dead as I type this.



They're putting guards all over Perth's mosques.

[caskur]

Just read-- 4 in custody (3 men and a woman)  and 30 or more believed dead, very sad.



I had no idea there were even mosques in NZ, much less any animosity by any Aussie's against them.



EDIT: this one says the gunman liked Trump https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8642007/christchurch-mosque-shootings-brit-gunman-racist-manifesto-trump-supporter/">https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8642007/c ... supporter/">https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8642007/christchurch-mosque-shootings-brit-gunman-racist-manifesto-trump-supporter/

Australians do not want Muslims in Australia. That I do know.

[Anonymous]

Ban Australian born Brits in NZ?



Maybe we can gps track them?

Was one or more of the shooters from Australia?

Doesn't mean they are Australian... Australia is multicultural.



49 dead as I type this.



They're putting guards all over Perth's mosques.

 

[caskur]

Apparently the shooter in NZ was born in Australia and was a gym instructor at one stage.





I must go find out more. brb.

[Anonymous]

Apparently the shooter in NZ was born in Australia and was a gym instructor at one stage.





I must go find out more. brb.

Here's what I just read caskur.



The gunman has been confirmed to be Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, who wrote a 73-page manifesto declaring his evil intentions.

https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/412babb6a81c906d089166dca5436314?width=650">

[caskur]

Australian terrorist's mosque attack motive revealed Christchurch mosque shootings: Inside the mind of terrorist Brenton Tarrant



The purported manifesto of the Christchurch gunman says he is a working-class Australian — and calls out the Sydney gang rapes and terror attacks as driving factors in his war on non-whites.



https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/7-news-perth/christchurch-mosque-shootings-inside-the-mind-of-terrorist-brenton-tarrant-ng-b881137610z">https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/7-news ... 881137610z">https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/7-news-perth/christchurch-mosque-shootings-inside-the-mind-of-terrorist-brenton-tarrant-ng-b881137610z





A series of posts by the Australian man held in connection with the Christchurch attacks over the last two days are helping police piece together the sequence of events behind the plot.  



Brenton Tarrant, 28, posted photos of his arsenal alongside the 74-page manifesto in which he described himself as "... a ordinary White man, 28 years old. Born in Australia to a working class, low income family."



He said two events triggered his self-described revenge attack — "This 2017 truck terror attack in Sweden.. and the French election result in the same year."



In the posts he spoke at length about "white supremacy", "fertility rates" and "foreign invaders", calling himself a "uniformed combatant in a war".



Prime Minister Scott Morrison, however, gave him another name, calling Tarrant "An extremist right wing violent terrorist."

Tarrant showed no remorse for his actions in his posts

.

"I only wish I could have killed more invaders, and more traitors as well," he said.



"No group ordered my attack, I make the decision myself.



"New Zealand was not the original choice for attack, I only arrived to New Zealand to live temporarily whilst I planned and trained.



"I begun planning an attack roughly two years in advance and an attack at the location in Christchurch three months in advance.



"Originally the mosque in Dunedin was the main target.

"It is a terrorist attack.

"I am a racist."



A former employer of Tarrant's has spoken out about her shock at the series of events.



Originally from Grafton in northern NSW, Brenton Tarrant, 28, was an employee of the local

Owner of Big River Fitness and Squash centre in Grafton, NSW, Tracey Gray was shocked to hear claims her former employee may have been involved in the Christchurch massacre.



"He used to work here at my fitness facility five, six, maybe seven years ago. He never showed any extremes of extremist views or any cray behaviour," she said.



Professor of Global Islamic Politics at Monash University Greg Barton also weighed in on Tarrant's motives.

"They think of themselves as a hero, but it's a coward's way of taking forward your political cause," he said.



Names written on the shooters' guns included Edward Codrington — a 19th British admiral who fought at Trafalgar — and Marco Bragadin — a 16th century Venetian lawyer killed by the Ottomans.



Another message read: "here's your migration compact."



Other targets included German chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkish president Recep Erdogan and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Among his heroes, Tarrant listed Anders Breivik, who shot dead 77 people in Norway in 2011.



In his rant Tarrant talked about many unrelated topics, including gun control in the United States. He also said he hoped to survive the attack, that he intended to plead not guilty and hoped to be jailed to "deplete resources from the state".



Tarrant predicted he would be released from jail after 27 years, just like Nelson Mandela, and claimed he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize.



He also claimed to be a Navy Seal involved in numerous raids against al Qaeda with 300 confirmed kills.

"I had to run along in the middle of the firefight, pick up the mag that fell out,' he said.



"There was no firefight — only the execution of innocents."