A horrific shooting at a Christchurch mosque was live-streamed for 17 minutes by the gunman.
The shooter identified himself as "Brenton Tarrant" — a white, 28-year-old Australian-born man. Twitter has shut down a user account in that name, the New Zealand Herald reports.
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| Shooter identified himself as "Brenton Tarrant" |
Police have taken three people into custody after the gunman shot at worshippers as they gathered for Friday prayers.
Armed police were deployed around the Al Noor mosque on Deans Ave, where shooting broke out at 1.40pm (NZ time) on Friday, with the city’s schools and hospital locked down. A short time later, shots were fired at another mosque in Linwood Avenue.
In a vile 73-page manifesto posted online, he described himself as “just a regular White man”.
The 28-year-old noted he was born “to a working class, low-income family … who decided to take a stand to ensure a future for my people”.
Live stream began as the gunman drove to the Al Noor Mosque in Deans Ave, parking his car in a nearby driveway.
Grieving members of the public following a shooting at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, Mar 15, 2019. REUTERS
The beige station wagon contains a cache of weapons and ammunition in the front passenger seat and boot, along with petrol canisters.
He then armed himself and walked into the mosque, with the first victim shot in the doorway.
The gunman was armed with at least one semi-automatic firearm and multiple ammunition clips. Messages in white writing were scrawled on the gun and ammunition.
Once inside he began shooting indiscriminately.
The gunman stalked the mosque rooms firing repeatedly, stopping several times to re-load.
He then exited the mosque through the front door - after just under three minutes inside and headed into the street – firing random shots as cars drove past.
He returned to a beige Subaru station wagon parked in a nearby driveway to get more ammunition from the boot.
He fired more shots on the street at no apparent target and said: “Looks like we won't get the bird today boys.”
He then re-entered the mosque to check for survivors – and began firing again. As he left the mosque the second time he repeatedly shot a woman in the street.
He gets in his car and drives away. One vehicle that nearly pulled into his path was fired at several times with a shotgun.
The 17-minute video ends as the gunman drives away at speed.
In the days leading up to the attack, Tarrant posted photos to his now-suspended Twitter account of what appears to be guns, ammunition and a military-style vest.
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| Ammunition and a military-style vest |
New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he was aware that footage of the shooting was on social media and police were doing everything they could to get it removed.
"It shouldn't be in the public domain."
Police described it as an “evolving situation” and implored residents to stay indoors. All Christchurch schools have been locked down.
It’s understood about 300 people were inside the Hagley Park mosque for afternoon prayers when one of the shootings happened.
New Zealand Police urged anyone in Christchurch to stay indoors and report any suspicious behavior.
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