Shooting in the Christchurch Mosque: 49 dead in a terrorist attack; suspect charged

CHRISTCHURCH: Forty-nine people died and dozens of others were injured after gunmen opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch City during the Friday afternoon prayer. March 15th.

A man has been charged with the badault, which New Zealand premier Jacinda Ardern has condemned as a terrorist attack.

Addressing the nation, Ardern said New Zealand had been placed at its highest level of security threat.

"It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack," she said. "From what we know, it seems to have been well planned."

She added that four people in custody had extremist views but were not on police watch lists.

"Two explosive devices attached to suspicious vehicles have now been discovered and they have been disarmed," she added.

Both mosques are located at Deans Avenue and Linford Avenue.

Forty-eight patients with gunshot wounds were treated at the Christchurch Hospital, said David Meates, chair of the Canterbury District Health Board.

Patients, including young children, have serious to minor injuries, he said in a press release.

THE NEW ZEALAND MOSQUES HAVE SAID TO CLOSE THE DOORS

An Australian citizen, described by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison as a "terrorist" on the right, is among those in detention.

"We stand here and absolutely condemn the attack perpetrated today by an extremist, right-wing and violent terrorist," Morrison said at a press conference.

"It's such a sad and devastating reminder of the harm that may still be present about us," Morrison said.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said that no less than 41 people died in a mosque, seven in another and one person died at the hospital, describing the attack as "very well planned ".

He had previously warned worshipers not to visit mosques "anywhere in New Zealand".

READ: "Bodies all over me" & # 39; – Eyewitnesses tell the horror of the shooting in Christchurch

The police also asked all mosques in the country to "close their doors" and said that "people refrain from visiting the premises until further notice".

Meanwhile, the army blew up two unattended bags near a Auckland train station as a precaution as a result of the Christchurch attack.

"Not long ago, the defense forces carried out a controlled explosion of bags as a precautionary measure," police said in a statement.

"The police can confirm that the bags were not suspicious and that they contained scaffolding material."

"BODIES ON MY MID": EYEWITNESS

The masjid al Noor on Deans Avenue was filled with worshipers – including members of the Bangladesh cricket team – at the time of the attack.

A witness told stuff.co.nz that he was praying in the Deans Ave mosque when he heard gunshots and saw his wife lying dead on the outside pavement when he was walking. ;he ran away.

Another man said he saw children being shot.

"There were bodies all over me," he said.

Downtown residents should stay indoors, police said. All schools and council buildings in Christchurch have been locked up.

A senior Malaysian official has been confirmed by the country's high commission in New Zealand.

"Until now, a Malaysian has been confirmed injured and currently being treated at the hospital," said the commission on his Twitter account.

Six Indonesians were praying in one of the mosques when the shooter opened fire, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said. Three of them were able to escape, but we do not know where the other three are, said Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi in the Jakarta Post.

"DARKEST DAYS OF NEW ZEALAND"

Ardern described these incidents as "one of the darkest days in New Zealand".

"It is clear that what happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence, and many of those who have been directly affected by the shooting may be migrants in New Zealand.

"They may even be refugees here, they chose to settle in New Zealand and it's their home, they are us, the perpetrator of this violence against us it's not, "she said.

The media said that shots had been fired near a mosque and a witness told One News broadcaster that he had seen three people lying on the ground, bleeding out of sight. building.

According to a witness inside the mosque, Radio New Zealand said it heard gunshots, at least four people were lying on the ground and "there was blood everywhere".

"Horrified to learn of the murder of a mosque in Christchurch, no hatred of this kind can ever be justified," said Amy Adams, MP for Christchurch.

The Bangladesh cricket team was near the shooting. Mario Villavarayen, strength and conditioning coach of the Bangladesh cricket team, said the team was near the scene of the shooting, but that she was safe. He said the players were shaken but good.

The team are in Christchurch to face New Zealand in a third cricket test starting Saturday, but the match was canceled following the attacks.

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