Live Updates: 49 killed in coordinated terrorist shootings at 2 mosques in New Zealand; 3 suspects in custody
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Live Updates: 49 killed in coordinated terrorist shootings at 2 mosques in New Zealand; 3 suspects in custody
KARMA ALLEN, ABC News 1 hour 9 minutes ago 
Live Updates: 49 killed in coordinated terrorist shootings at 2 mosques in New Zealand; 3 suspects in custody originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
At least 49 people were killed in a shooting attack on the southern island of New Zealand on Friday when a gunman opened fire inside two mosques.
The shootings in Christchurch, categorized as a terrorist attack, included 41 deaths at one mosque, according to authorities. Christchurch Hospital also confirmed it was treating 48 people for gunshot wounds, ranging from minor to critical. One person died at the hospital.
(MORE: Survivors describe harrowing escape from attack on New Zealand mosques)
The gunman, who was dressed in tactical gear, appeared to livestream video of the shooting on social media, according to New Zealand police, documenting his trip from his vehicle and into the worship center in central Christchurch, where he opened fire indiscriminately.
"This is one of New Zealand’s darkest days," New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a press conference Friday afternoon.
Four people, three men and one woman, were taken into custody in the hours following the attack. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed one of them was an Australian citizen. The man has been charged with murder and will appear in court Saturday, police said.
Police later said one of the four taken into custody had a firearm, but was not connected to the attack. The other two continue to be investigated.
Ardern said none of the suspects were on any active terrorist watch lists and it was "not a matter of someone slipping under the radar."
The shooter also opened fire in the surrounding area outside of the mosques. Police said they recovered two improvised explosive devices attached to vehicles in the area, but they were rendered safe.
"A serious and evolving situation is occurring in Christchurch with an active shooter. Police are responding with its full capability to manage the situation, but the risk environment remains extremely high," New Zealand Police tweeted. "Police recommend that residents across Christchurch remain off the streets and indoors until further notice."
(MORE: 5 dead in shooting at Florida bank, suspect in custody: Police)
A spokesperson for the Canterbury District Health Board said it activated its mass casualty plan, putting public locations in the area on lockdown.
"Christchurch schools will be locked down until further notice," the police department tweeted. "Police thanks the public for their cooperation and will provide further updates to keep residents informed."
Those lockdowns were lifted several hours after the attack ended.
Witnesses said the attack occurred just before 1:40 p.m. local time as the worship leader gave the sermon.
"The Sheikh was giving the sermon on Friday prayers and it was 1:42 [p.m.] and the gun starts shooting and he just came in and he was shooting ad hoc," eyewitness Ramzan Ali told The Associated Press.
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Arden made reference to the nationalities of the victims, saying, "Many of those directly involved might be immigrants, refugees who chose to be here. They are us. The person who has done this, is not."
Morrison described the shootings as having been perpetrated by an "extremist, right-wing, violent terrorist, that has taken the lives -- stolen the lives -- in a vicious, murderous attack that has claimed so many New Zealanders."
Ali said he survived the shooting by hiding beneath a bench.
"Actually I haven't seen him because I just lie down under the bench thinking that if I get out, I'll get shot," he said. "I'm just keeping my fingers crossed so I could be alive."
"I was the last guy to come out of the mosque after the shooting stopped and on the doors there were a lot of bodies," he added.
Police said shots were fired in at least two mosque locations. Residents were urged to stay off the streets and to avoid all mosques until further notice.
This iframe is not allowed"Again we are unsure if there are any other locations outside of that area that are under threat," police said. "I want to ask anyone that was thinking of going to a mosque anywhere in New Zealand today, not to go, to close your doors until you hear from us again."
Len Peneh, who lives next door to one of the mosques, told the AP that he "saw dead people everywhere" when he went inside to help.
"There were three in the hallway, at the door leading into the mosque, and people inside the mosque," he said. "It's unbelievable nutty. I don't understand how anyone could do this to these people, to anyone. It's ridiculous."
He described the gunman as a white man who was wearing a helmet with some kind of device on top.
"I've lived next door to this mosque for about five years and the people are great, they're very friendly," he said. "I just don't understand it."
(MORE: The US averaged at least 1 deadly mass shooting a month in 2018)
Officials said they were working to remove "extremely distressing footage" taken at the scene and urged social media users not to share it.
"Police are aware there is extremely distressing footage relating to the incident in Christchurch circulating online," police said in a tweet. "We would strongly urge that the link not be shared. We are working to have any footage removed."
ABC News' Matt Foster and Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.
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EXTREMIST RIGHT WING VIOLENT TERRORIST
Naaahhh ..Scum bag, maggot, feral terrorist that should have been drowned at birth....And a fellow countryman to boot. I am beyond words and ashamed for this "thing"..Cops should have exterminated him as he does not deserve to walk this earth...
That's what it said in the description of this piece.
You were being to polite and politically correct..We call them as we see 'em.....
What? I call them as I see them also.
If you ask anyone here in the street what they thought of him (other than a bloody Politician) that is what you would get..As I said your terminology was very Polite..I agree totally with what you have said, just saying we would said it differently with a few expletives thrown in...It is an Aussie thing...
Sorry Shona! Got it.
Morning Tessylo..Nothing to be sorry about..If anything I am so sorry what my fellow country maggot has done...Still can't get my head around it...Words just fail me...
See what this 'president' has done to the world? It's a cancer.
Alright you have got me on that one..What has Trump got to do with this?? That is really drawing a long bow...
Trump's fine people. Instead of condemning Charlottesville, this is what the asshole sparked. Also asswipe claiming he's a Nationalist.
The manifesto, littered with conspiracy theories about white birthrates 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.
Thank you Lady! Perrie also has a seed up about this. You should post this there also!
Yessss but that is different when it is in your own country and those were his own comments...The "white" crap has been going on for years all over the world...This one was home grown and then went into another country...was there for 8 years in NZ so not sure what has gone on..Hardly a spur of the moment thing in all that time....To be honest the maggot probably would not even know who Trump was...
Hate to break it to you but he is mentioned in it.....
The dossier also praised United States President Donald Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose", and addresses grievances about the left's "march through the institutions".
A mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday has left an astonishing total of 49 people dead, according to The Associated Press . The shooting was carried out by at least one gunman who posted on online “manifesto” stating white supremacist viewpoints and naming prominent Donald Trump supporter and right-wing American media personality Candace Owens as the person who most inspired him to commit acts of violenc e.
It's not a comment, it's in the manifesto
You are aware that he actually said there were fine people on both sides of the issue and never specifically mentioned the kkk or Nazi's or Antifa or anyone else.
So he is agreeing there are fine people in the KKK and Nazis, and you wonder why white supremacists are emboldened when even the President of the United States doesn't condemn them.
He never said that. There were others that wanted the monuments and memorials to remain besides those two groups but of course acknowledging that doesn't fit you narrow hateful agenda.
He did not condemn antifa either and dies that mean he agrees with them also?
"Very fine people....on both sides"
Meaning fine people on the alt-right (KKK, Neo-Nazis, White Supremes) and the far left (antifa)
So if you have fine people on the alt-right then there has to be fine people on the far left according to your president
He did say that.
Oh for pity's sake!
Are you really still flogging that dead horse?
I don't think he was talking about the people protesting the removal of the monuments
The people there that day were a group, carrying tiki torches and chanting, jews will not replace us.
Yes he did, when he said fine people on both sides. So to him there are fine KKK members and fine Nazi members.
This isn't about the 'monuments' or 'statues' so get back to the topic
This isn't about the 'monuments' or 'statues' so get back to the topic
OMG
TDS is scary when it can so manipulate the weak-minded that terrorist acts on the other side of the world, involving two foreign countries, are somehow President Trump's fault.
Sounds to me like the weak minded one is the one who went on a shooting spree
This is what comes from tolerating hatred. Islamaphobia is not benign hate...
Neither is anti semitism or Israeliphobia but those of you on the left seam to have no problem with it. I you all left that congresswoman off cheap.
White-supremacist terrorism.
Such an ordinary thing.....
Can we all agree that this is an act of terrorism not just hate?
It's too bad NZ doesn't have the death penalty
Well said. The unfortunate part is that instead of focusing on that, some here insist on politicizing it as a forum for Trump haters instead of the human tragedy it is. My sincere and utmost prayers and condolences to the victims, their families, and their lived ones.
Officials in Christchurch are calling it an act of terrorism and, are treating it as such. FYI.
What a crazy f#$king world this has become, happy to be on the back nine of life.
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I don't think Trump is "responsible" for this mass murder, that would be a ridiculous thing to say. The person who did it is responsible.
But the fact is that he mentions Trump in his explanation for why he did it, along with many many other things he mentioned.
Trump is the jackass that instigates or "goes along with" certain themes and then when something happens says "why are you mentioning my name"?
This mass murder in New Zealand was based on the shooter's racist beliefs. A down under form of white nationalism. The shooter openly states this.
Trump had to be dragged into denouncing white nationalism a few years ago. He was endorsed by David Duke, and was given a "Heil Trump" salute at a meeting of a white supremacist group led by Richard Spencer the day after the '16 election. White supremacists are big fans of Trump, whether you like it or not. He retweeted white supremacists more than 10 times during the '16 campaign. Of course they noticed that. Then there was Charlottesville, where Trump tried to thread the needle with his comments so as not to offend the white nationalist sympathizers.
Do we wonder why the shooter mentions Trump with approval?
Like I said, Trump is not responsible for the shooting, but he is responsible for the shooter feeling he has something in common with Trump.
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lol. use you google.
you have a preconception that trump is being unfairly picked on by "haters".
why not expand your thinking with some reality?
Have you revisited the other article?
The purple ink had to do with KDM's complaint that Tessy hadn't provided a url for her quoted comments ( instead of the linked words)
You misread the whole situation in your anger.
It had nothing to do with any thing Perrie did or did not say or the seed.
Now, 90% of the comments were deemed off topic and have been removed while it was locked by another Mod.
So, please, let's just drop the whole hatred BS that you are exacerbating.
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Far right nutcases are out there on social media claiming this was a "deep state" attack.
I removed this nutjobs twitter handle.