New Zealand attack - live updates: Suspected gunman appears in court as Prime Minister Ardern promises ‘gun laws will change’
At least 49 killed in mass shooting of worshippers in two mosques
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Your support makes all the difference.At least 49 people have been killed and dozens more are seriously injured after shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Witnesses described seeing bodies and “blood everywhere” following the attack at the Masjid Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch on Friday afternoon.
Police have charged an Australian citizen, Brenton Tarrant with murder,
Handcuffed and wearing a white prison suit, the 28-year-old smirked as he appeared Christchurch District Court but did not speak. His court-appointed lawyer made no application for bail or name suppression.
He was likely to face further charges, police said. Another three people were arrested in connection with the attack. One was later released, but two remain detained at the time of publication.
Tarrant ppeared to have live-streamed the attack and outlined his anti-immigrant motives in a manifesto posted online.
A search of a property in Dunedin, around 200 miles to the south, was carried out by police.
Videos and documents posted online appear to suggest that the shooter live-streamed his attack on Facebook and prepared an anti-immigrant “manifesto” prior to the shooting.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand's gun laws would be changed as a result of the attack. She later visited refugees in the city.
Follow the latest developments in our live blog below.
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Total of 49 people have been killed in Christchurch shootings - New Zealand police commissioner
A man in his late twenties has been charged with murder, the commissioner says
The man charged with murder should appear in court tomorrow.
One of those detained, who was armed, may have had nothing to do with the attack, the commissioner says.
Police are working to establish what involvement, if any, the other two people detained had.
Members of the British government have been reacting to the shooting.
Theresa May led the condemnation, saying in a tweet she sent "deepest condolences to the people of New Zealand after the horrifying terrorist attack in Christchurch".
She added: "My thoughts are with all of those affected by this sickening act of violence."
Home Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted he was "absolutely heartbroken to hear about this attack on peaceful worshippers".
Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has also condemned the attacks as the "latest example of rising racism and Islamophobia".
Tweeting in English and Turkish on Friday, he said: "On behalf of my country, I offer my condolences to the Islamic world and the people of New Zealand, who have been targeted by this deplorable act."
European Council President Donald Tusk described the attack as "harrowing news" and said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern can "count on our solidarity".
He tweeted: "Harrowing news from New Zealand overnight.
"The brutal attack in Christchurch will never diminish the tolerance and decency that New Zealand is famous for.
"Our thoughts in Europe are with the victims and their families. PM jacindaardern can count on our solidarity."
Here New Zealand's police commissioner Mike Bush confirms the death toll has climbed to 49
A recap of the latest details to emerge from the police press conference:
- one person, a male in his late 20s, has been charged with murder
- Three other people were apprehended. Police say one of those who was armed and was at the scene may have had nothing to do with the incident. Officers are working to establish whether the other two - who were also armed - were linked to the shooting
- Police recovered "a number of firearms from both of the scenes"
New Zealand is generally regarded as a very safe country and the lifting of the terror threat level to "high" is the first time it has reached that level in the country's history.
But Paul Buchanan, a former intelligence and defence policy analyst now with consultancy 36th Parallel Assessments, said the threat from neo-Nazi groups in New Zealand was well-known.
"Christchurch has a very active white supremacist community, a community that has attacked refugees and people of colour on multiple occasions over the last 20 years," he told Radio New Zealand.
"It shows we don't live in a benign environment in this day and age, we've been infected with the virus of extremism. The thing is it came from white supremacists, not from the Islamic community that was the target today."
Police have appealed to members of the public to register missing family or friends using the Restoring Family Links (RFL) website.
In a statement on Twitter, the force said: "We encourage members of the public to continue to contact family and friends through their own means to confirm their welfare.
"Police want to ensure the public we are doing everything possible to resolve this incident."
Gun licensing laws were strengthened in New Zealand a lone gunman killed 13 people in the small South Island town of Aramoana in 1990 following a dispute with neighbours.
Tight restrictions on military style semi-automatic firearms were introduced as a result - but there are still estimated to be around 1.2 million guns in private hands in a country with a population of almost five million.
In the decade to 2013, the most recent figures, gun homicides in the country ranged from three to 12 deaths per year.
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