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Christchurch: At least one gunman targeting overcrowded mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killed a number of people on Friday, police said. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called the shooting "one of the darkest days in New Zealand". The mosques were filled with worshipers gathered for the Friday afternoon prayer and members of the Bangladesh cricket team had arrived when the shooter opened fire.
Local media reported that at least nine people had died and that the town of South Island had been placed in receivership while the police were looking for an "active shooter". "It's an evolving incident and we're working on the confirmation of the facts, but we can confirm that there have been a number of deaths," said the commissioner. police, Mike Bush.
Ambulance personnel take a man to a mosque in Christchurch after the shooting. AP
He said that one person was in detention but that there were possibly other offenders and that armed officers were attending a number of scenes. "The police are responding with all their ability to handle the situation, but the risk climate remains extremely high," Bush said.
Ardern said she was unable to confirm the death toll, saying the events were still unfolding. "It's clear that it's one of the darkest days in New Zealand," she told reporters. "Clearly, what happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence."
The Masjid al Noor in central Christchurch was filled with worshipers during the attack, as did a second mosque in the suburb of Linwood. A Palestinian from the mosque, who did not want to give his name, said he saw a man hit in the head.
"I heard three quick blows, then after about 10 seconds everything started again, it had to be automatic, no one could pull the trigger so fast," he said. AFP. "Then people started running, some were covered with blood."
Another witness said stuff.co.nz He was praying in Deans Ave Mosque when he heard gunshots and saw his wife lying dead on the outside sidewalk when he escaped. Another man said he saw children being shot. "There were bodies all over me," he said.
A witness said Radio New Zealand he heard gunshots and four people were lying on the ground with "blood everywhere". According to unconfirmed reports, the shooter wore military-style clothing.
Commissioner Bush said all schools in the city were locked up in response to "a serious gun incident". "The police are urging all residents of central Christchurch to stay off the street," he said in a statement. The buildings of the central city, including the municipal offices and the central library, were also locked.
City Council has offered a helpline to parents looking for children attending a mbad gathering on climate change nearby. "Please, do not try to pick up your children until the police state that it's safe to bring people into the city center," he said. they said.
There was no official information on the victims, but a spokesman for the Bangladesh cricket team said that none of the players had been injured. "They are safe, but they are mentally shocked, we asked the team to stay confined to the hotel," he said. AFP.
He added that the attack had occurred while some Bangladeshi players had landed from a team bus and were about to enter the mosque. He added that most of the players went to the mosque.
He added that the Bangladesh Cricket Commission was in contact with the New Zealand authorities and would take further decisions after consultation. Large-scale shootings are rare in New Zealand, which has beefed up its firearms legislation to restrict access to semi-automatic rifles in 1992, two years after a man with mental disorders shot dead 13 people in the city of Aramoana, in the south of the island.
However, anyone over the age of 16 can apply for a standard firearms license after taking a safety course, which allows them to buy and use a shotgun without monitoring.
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