50 dead in mosque shootings in Christchurch, NZ

[Senator Clay Davis]

Forty-nine people are dead and scores more are injured after a heavily armed gunman clad in military-style gear opened fire during prayers at a mosque in the center of Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday. A second mosque was also targeted in what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called a well-planned “terrorist attack” making for “one of New Zealand’s darkest days.”

Authorities said they had four people in custody — three men and one women — but later clarified that only three were believed to have been involved in the violence. One man in his late 20s, whom the authorities declined to name, was charged with murder and was expected to appear in court on Saturday morning. The suspects had not been on security watch lists, officials said.

Police had also deactivated an improvised explosive device, and were working to disarm a second, that had been attached to a vehicle used by the suspects. Counterterrorism forces were activated across New Zealand and Australia, as New Zealand elevated its national security threat level to “high” for the first time

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said 41 people had been killed at Al Noor mosque on Deans Road, opposite a large downtown park. Seven more were fatally shot about three miles away at a mosque in Linwood, an inner suburb of Christchurch, and another person died at the hospital.

Health officials said 48 patients, including both young children and adults, were being treated for gunshot wounds at Christchurch Hospital, while additional victims were seeking medical treatment elsewhere. Around 200 family members were at the hospital awaiting news about loved ones.

Portions of the ghastly attack at the downtown mosque were broadcast live on social media by a man who police confirmed had also released a manifesto railing against Muslims and immigrants. The 74-page document states that he was following the example of notorious right-wing extremists, including Dylann Roof, who murdered nine black churchgoers in Charleston, S.C., in 2015.

The manifesto, littered with conspiracy theories about white birth rates and “white genocide,” is the latest sign that a lethal vision of white nationalism has spread internationally. Its title, “The Great Replacement,” echoes the rallying cry of, among others, the torch-bearing protesters who marched in Charlottesville in 2017.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...=.7c38afc8809d

UPDATE

The death toll from the Christchurch shootings has risen to 50 after a victim, previously not accounted for by police, was discovered at one of the mosques.

A gunman with a semi-automatic weapon massacred worshippers gathered for Friday prayers in two locations: a mosque at Deans Avenue in central Christchurch and another mosque in the nearby suburb of Linwood.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said a further examination of the crime scene allowed them to find another victim.

"As of last night, we were able to take all of the victims from both of those scenes and in doing so we have located a victim," he said.

A further 50 people were injured in the attack, Commissioner Bush said, and 36 remain in the Christchurch Hospital, twelve of whom are in the Intensive Care Unit in a critical condition.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-...aland/10909288

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Why are humans so god damned stupid? Man we're stupid.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Sounds like it could be pretty bad as far as fatalities

https://twitter.com/user/status/1106391398020874241

https://twitter.com/user/status/1106391551255560192

[KootenayFlamesFan]

If the city, or parts of the city, are still in lockdown even though they have one suspect in custody that can't be good.

[PsYcNeT]

Guy was livestreaming it on Facebook. His manifesto is, as expected, bug#### crazy.

[corporatejay]

Racist white guy?

[PsYcNeT]

NSFW!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1106369433012969473

https://twitter.com/user/status/1106370376232124416

https://twitter.com/user/status/1106373121047695360

Nothing gory, but chilling nonetheless.

This is terrorism.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Police update should be starting shortly.

Edit: Pushed back to 10:30

[PsYcNeT]

At least two shooters. Appears one is dead, other in custody

Not confirmed.

[FireGilbert]

Disgusting. Sounds like it’s up to 27 dead now. Also the Bangladesh cricket team had a near miss being in their bus parked outside the mosque.

Did this really need to happen in possibly the nicest post peaceful country on earth?

[PsYcNeT]

Streamer was from AUS and moved to NZ to "train".

[PsYcNeT]

Confirmed multiple shooters.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1106400990008360966

https://twitter.com/user/status/1106401974155653120

[Senator Clay Davis]

Three men and one woman currently in custody, multiple IEDs found.

[oldschoolcalgary]

incredibly sad to hear

[PsYcNeT]

3 men, 1 woman in custody.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/li...-incident-live

e;fb

[Wormius]

Crap. 40 dead being reported.

[Svartsengi]

New Zealand PM giving press conference now. Says as of now at least 40 dead, 10 at one mosque, 30 at the second mosque. Those arrested so far were not on any watch lists.

[snootchiebootchies]

Geez, and there is now a senator in Australia blaming Muslims for their own murders. His twitter account is so openly racist and Islamaphobic.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by snootchiebootchies

Geez, and there is now a senator in Australia blaming Muslims for their own murders. His twitter account is so openly racist and Islamaphobic.

That’s disgusting.

[Barnet Flame]

Like many my alarm in the morning is the radio. It goes off as the news starts.

To wake up and this news is the first thing you hear is distressing.

My heart goes out to all the victims and their families.

I don’t know what else to say.