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The Christchurch Mosque shooting has left 40 dead and over 20 injured, according to a report by the New Zealand Prime Minister early Friday morning. Per ABC, New Zealand Police confirmed “multiple fatalities” from the event on Friday afternoon (New Zealand time), and also confirmed at that point that four suspects had been arrested, though they didn’t provide further details.
Some photos from the event have started to trickle in. You can see them below:
*CONTENT WARNING: Many of these photos contain screenshots of the video allegedly taken by the shooter, which show bodies*
Photos of the Mosque Shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand
Per CNN, New Zealand police released the following statement on Friday afternoon, immediately following early reports of a shooting: “Police recommend that residents across Christchurch remain off the streets and indoors until further notice. Christchurch schools will be locked down until further notice.”
One witness, a man named Mohan Ibn Ibrahim, told CNN, “There were more than 200 people inside. The gunman came from the backside. Gunshots went on for a long time. We had to jump the wall to escape.”
Here are photos from the scene of the shooting, as well as screengrabs of the video the shooter allegedly took on Facebook live during the attack.
Reports coming in that the shooter was taken down. Central Christchurch, New Zealand
I won’t post photos but “markings” many are noting on the #Christchurch shooter’s weapons are historic battles & leaders popular w far-right extremists including, in Cyrillic, “Miloš Obilić”, 14thC Serbian knight who killed Murad I @ 1389 Battle of Kosovo, also a far-right trope.
Another witness said to The Washington Post, “I saw dead people everywhere. There were three in the hallway, at the door leading into the mosque, and people inside the mosque. It’s unbelievable nutty.”
He added, “I don’t understand how anyone could do this to these people, to anyone. It’s ridiculous.”
#BREAKING: Twenty-seven people have reportedly been killed in the Christchurch mosque massacre; New Zealand police confirm shooting at 2nd mosque in Christchurch
Per CNN, several police forces in cities across the U.S., including Los Angeles, New York, and Minneapolis have announced that they will be increasing security measures for mosques in the area, after the shooting in Christchurch.
Via the network, the Minneapolis police force said in a statement, “There are no known credible threats to our mosques in Minneapolis and we will be providing additional patrols.”
#Christchurch latest:
– Multiple people dead and injured after shootings at two mosques
– One person arrested, other armed offenders may be on the loose
– One gunman posted video to social media, wrote manifesto
Follow our live coverage: t.co/1WQ2shpA69
Still another witness said to The Guardian,
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. He did his massacre inside the mosque.
Many have started to circulate the video that Tarrant allegedly posted to Facebook Live during his shooting spree, but Heavy has opted not to broadcast it. Additionally, Heavy will not be linking to Tarrant’s “manifesto.”
A shooting has occurred in a second mosque in the city of #Christchurch, AP reports, quoting New Zealand media. No details were immediately available.
#terrorattacks #mosqueattacks
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Following news of the tragedy, at least one New Zealand icon took to social media to pay his respects. New Zealand boxer and rugby player Sonny Bill Williams posted a Twitter video where he said in part, “Everyone that has been killed today in Christchurch, your families … You guys are all in paradise and I’m just deeply deeply saddened that this would happen in New Zealand.”
You can watch the video below in full:
My heart is hurting about the news coming out of Christchurch. Sending love & prayers to the effected families❤️😢
JUST IN: A witness says many people have been killed in a mass shooting at a mosque in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, AP reports
To CNN, one mother said she was waiting for word about what the status on her son was; her son was in the mosque during the shooting.
She said to the network, “We’ve just been waiting here since just to see if our son is alright but he’s not answering his phone. I just feel quite dead to be honest, quite numb. I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel real.”
#BREAKING | A gunman has opened fire at a mosque in Christchurch where the Bangladesh Cricket team had been for morning prayer.
Details | t.co/gk3e3Ge1gx
#UPDATE: There are reports of up to six people dead with emergency service vehicles at Al Noor Mosque in central Christchurch and Linwood Masjid mosque.
t.co/EaWnZm9q98
The scene outside a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand where a shooting has taken place
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