One local said what happened behind their properties was simply ‘horrible’.
Now out their back windows are ‘the cars of the dead’.
The neighbour said: ‘They have been simply excellent (neighbours), I do want people to know that’.
All bodies have been removed from the mosque, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said authorities were working as fast as they could to allow relatives to bury their dead loved ones in keeping with Islamic custom.
Police outside the Al Noor mosque continued to sweep the street for evidence on Sunday, marking up cars where bullets may have hit or ricocheted.
It comes as workers at a Christchurch cemetery continue the daunting task of digging graves for the murdered.
Workers used heavy machinery to prepare at least a dozen graves at a cemetery on Saturday afternoon, ahead of the unprecedented number of burials.
They moved swiftly to stay in line with the Islamic custom that dictates the deceased should be buried within 24 hours of their passing.
But local Islamic leaders have admitted they have never seen a burial quite like this.
‘They (the community) is in shock, having to sit down and plan 49 funerals,’ Dr Zain Ali, an Islamic expert at Auckland University, told Daily Mail Australia.
‘They’re just coming to terms with the death of these people. A message went out saying “we need help organising this” … people are just not in a frame of mind’.
A Christchurch Council spokesman has confirmed that ‘the council is currently in the process of getting plots ready’.
The local Muslim community is struggling to come to with the scale of the tragedy and their grief is visible everywhere.
In the city hundreds have left floral tributes and written messages on the pavement at the Masjid Al Noor mosque, where the first shooting occurred on Friday afternoon.
One mourner, Nadia Edmond, 18, wept as she laid flowers, saying she and the city’s young people would not stand for ‘this hatred’.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called the incident one of the country’s ‘darkest days’ and said grants of NZD$10,000 would be available to the families of victims to help cover the cost of funerals.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush is addressing media in Wellington on the Christchurch mosque attacks.
Mr Bush is expected to speak at 5.30pm. Watch live:
It follows briefings by deputy commissioner Wally Haumaha and Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also earlier told media in an earlier conference a total of 100 dead and injured had been confirmed.
Scroll down for live updates in the wake of the attack
She said victims’ bodies were being returned to families starting tonight, a process that would be completed by Wednesday.
Victim identification staff had been flown in from Australia to speed up the process.
Public vigils are being held across New Zealand this weekend and many events in Christchurch and other cities have been cancelled.
Frustration is growing among the family and friends of the victims who are still unable to bury their dead.
They are desperate for the bodies to be returned so they can be buried as quickly as possible in accordance with Muslim tradition.
More than 200 members of the Muslim community met with officials last night at Christchurch Hospital to discuss how the bodies will be identified and released but a steady stream left saying they couldn’t wait all night for news.
Dozens more police are being deployed to Christchurch and there is a heightened police presence around the country, including at mosques and community events.
The dead include a 5-year-old girl and her father who were chased by the gunman and shot.
Three people are in custody, and 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant has appeared in court this yesterday charged with murder. Police say further charges will be laid. None of those in custody were on security watchlists in New Zealand or Australia.
A driver who
ran over a woman while drunk has been given a suspended sentence by the supreme
Court.
Charoteesha
Tu’ipulotu was charged with reckless driving causing serious bodily harm and
drunk driving.
The court was told that on September 8 last year Tu’ipulotu’s boyfriend graduated from Tupou Tertiary Institute.
She had recently returned to Tonga from Australia and went drinking with him and others at the Billfish and then to a bush area at Havelu.
Among those
present was a woman named A in the court report.
The group
drank into the early hours of the morning. Tu’ipulotu was drunk and argued with
her boyfriend, saying she wanted to leave. He refused and was abusive towards
her.
She got into
and started her boyfriend’s car, which was just a few meters from
the group and drove towards them.
‘A’did not
hear the car start and did not get out
of the way. She was run down by the car which came to a halt with one of the
tyres resting on her left thigh.
She suffered
a severe fracture to her left femur for which she was hospitalised for a
lengthy period.
In
sentencing Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said Tu’ipulotu had no intention to run
down her boyfriend or ‘A’.
The prosecution said Tu’ipulotu was entitled to credit a first time offender.
She had co-operated with the Police and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. She had also apologised to ‘A’ and provided gifts, which had been accepted. ‘A’ asked the court to be lenient on the offender.
The prosecution said that while a jail sentence was required, it would accept a fully suspended sentence.
“Miss
Tu’ipulotu is relatively young and with her supportive family she has excellent
rehabilitation prospects,” the judge said.
“She has a
problem with alcohol that she must address and she would benefit from the
opportunity to develop some alcohol and drug awareness and life skills so she
can move forward positively witl1 her life.
“I consider that the interests of Miss Tu’ipulotu and the community will be best served by imposing a fully suspended sentence with a punitive aspect and conditions that aid in her rehabilitation.”
As part of
her conditions for suspension of sentence, Tu’ipulotu has to successfully complete life skills and alcohol and drug
abuse courses with the Salvation Army and perform 70 hours community work.
She also had
her license suspended for two years.
The
main points
A
driver who ran over a woman while drunk has been given a suspended sentence by
the supreme Court.
Charoteesha
Tu’ipulotu was charged with reckless driving causing serious bodily harm and
drunk driving.
The death toll from terror attack on mosques in Christchurch climbed to 50.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush announced the update this morning and said 50 were also injured.
“Sadly, Police can confirm this morning that during the scene examination of the Deans Avenue Mosque yesterday, the body of a further victim was found,” he said.
36 people
remain in hospital in Canterbury District, being treated for injuries.
Eleven of
those are in a critical condition.
In addition,
the four-year-old child transported to Starship Hospital in Auckland yesterday
remains in a critical condition.
Public
safety remains the Police’s priority nationally, and particularly in
Christchurch following the tragic events on Friday.
Police ask
that people return to their daily lives, but also, be vigilant. If you “see something, say something”.
If you have
information which may help the investigation into the Christchurch attacks,
please use the online form available at www.police.govt.nz
The online
form is not an emergency channel – if you see anything suspicious or need
urgent help, please ring 111 immediately.
Mosque update
Mosques are
welcome to open their doors if they choose to do so. Police will continue to maintain a presence
at all Mosques across New Zealand.
Mosque scene update
Police are
continuing the scene examinations of Al Noor Mosque on Deans Avenue and Masjid
Mosque on Linwood Avenue today.
Identification of victims
Police is
working closely and extensively with partners to identify the injured and
deceased victims of the Christchurch attack.
This is
detailed and complex work that must be completed thoroughly.
The victims
have been removed from both Mosques.
This means
that victim identification work can progress.
A range of
activities must be completed before names can be released publicly.
This
includes next of kin notifications, which, in many cases, will have
international aspects to them.
Police
understands the religious duty of the Islamic faith to bury the deceased as
soon as possible, and is working closely with the Chief Coroner to do
everything possible to expedite the process.
Arrests and outcomes
In addition
to the 28-year-old man who appeared in court yesterday, two people were
arrested after the attacks and held in custody.
At this
stage there is no indication that they are connected to the attacks.
One of those
people has been charged with a separate offence and remanded in custody.
The other
has been released.
Bush said he can also confirm that due to evidence collected during the investigation they have taken another person into custody.
There is no
information to suggest this person is linked to the attacks.
Enquiries
are ongoing in relation to this person and we will update you when we are able.
Dunedin
The search
of a property in Somerville Street, Dunedin, has now completed.
A number of
items of interest were located however no items that would present harm to
members of the public were discovered.
Those nearby
residents who were evacuated overnight have been able to return to their homes
and Police thank them for their cooperation.
A Police
scene guard will remain in place at the property.
(ABC) A man who was inside a Christchurch mosque when it was attacked has been hailed as a hero for confronting the gunman, chasing him off and preventing more deaths.
Abdul Aziz was in the Linwood mosque when the shooter opened fire during Friday prayers, killing dozens.
Mr Aziz picked up the first thing he could find – a credit card machine – and ran outside screaming “Come here!”
Mr Aziz, 48, has been praised for saving many people inside by leading the gunman on a cat-and-mouse chase before scaring him into speeding away in his car.
But Mr Aziz, whose four sons and dozens of others remained in the mosque while he faced off with the gunman, said he thinks it is what anyone would have done.
A gunman has killed 49 people in terror attacks at two mosques in the deadliest mass shooting in New Zealand’s history.
Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with one count of murder over the slayings and a judge said on Saturday that it was reasonable to assume more charges would follow.
Latef Alabi, the Linwood mosque’s acting imam, said the death toll would have been far higher at the Linwood mosque if it was not for Mr Aziz.
Mr Alabi said he heard a voice outside the mosque about 1.55pm and stopped the prayer he was leading and peeked out of the window.
He saw a man wearing black military-style gear and a helmet holding a large gun, and assumed it was a police officer. Then he saw two bodies and heard the gunman yelling obscenities.
“I realised this is something else. This is a killer,” he said.
He yelled at the congregation of more than 80 to get down. They hesitated. A shot rang out, a window shattered and a body fell.
“Then this brother came over. He went after him, and he managed to overpower him, and that’s how we were saved,” Mr Alabi said, referring to Mr Aziz.
“Otherwise, if he managed to come into the mosque, then we would all probably be gone.”
Mr Aziz said as he ran outside screaming, he was hoping to distract the attacker. He said the gunman ran back to his car to get another gun, and Mr Aziz hurled the credit card machine at him.
He said he could hear his two youngest sons, aged 11 and five, urging him to come back inside.
The gunman returned and fired. Mr Aziz said he ran, weaving through cars parked in the driveway, which prevented the gunman from getting a clean shot.
Then Mr Aziz spotted a gun that had been discarded by the attacker and picked it up, pointed it and squeezed the trigger. It was empty.
He said the gunman ran back to the car for a second time, likely to grab yet another weapon.
“He gets into his car and I just got the gun and threw it on his window like an arrow and blasted his window,” he said.
The windshield shattered, Mr Aziz said. “That’s why he got scared.”
He said the gunman was cursing at him and yelled that he was going to kill them all. But he drove away and Mr Aziz said he chased the car down the street to a red light, before it made a U-turn and sped away.
Online videos indicate police officers managed to force the car from the road and drag out the suspect soon after.
Not his time to die
Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, Mr Aziz said he left as a refugee when he was a boy and lived for more than 25 years in Australia before moving to New Zealand a couple of years ago.
“I’ve been to a lot of countries and this is one of the beautiful ones,” he said. And, he always thought, a peaceful one as well.
Mr Aziz said he did not feel fear or much of anything when facing the gunman – it was like he was on autopilot. And he believes that God, that Allah, did not think it was his time to die.
At least 49 people have died in the Christchurch mosque shooting, the worst terror attack in New Zealand history.
Here’s what you need to know.
What happened?
There were two attacks on Friday in Christchurch – one at the Masjid Al Noor Mosque next to Hagley Park, and one at the Linwood Mosque.
At least 49 people have died, seven at Linwood Mosque and 41 at Masjid Al Noor Mosque. One person later died in Christchurch hospital.
The dead include a five-year-old girl and her father, who were chased by the gunman and shot in front of horrified passersby.
There are 36 patients still in hospital – including 11 in intensive care – ranging from young children to adults, with gunshot wounds.
The national security threat level has been increased from low too high for the first time in New Zealand’s history.
Seven operating theatres at Christchurch Hospital will be running again today as 39 people continue to receive treatment for gunshot wounds.
Church services today
Security fears have led to the postponement of a large outdoor church service in Christchurch this morning.
Dean of Christchurch’s Anglican Church, Lawrence Kimberley said he had hoped to hold a multi-denominational gathering on Sunday morning to show that Christians across the city stand in solidarity with the Muslim community.
But he said the church had followed police advice to postpone the service.
A mass of prayer for peace is to be held at St Mary’s Catholic Pro Cathedral in Manchester Street.
Other churches are holding special prayer services. And some churches, including St Paul’s Trinity Pacific Presbyterian church, have cancelled Sunday school as children are expected to be traumatised.
What are the authorities saying?
Police believe the shootings at two mosques were the actions of a lone gunman.
Officers were alerted to the Deans Ave mosque shooting at 1.40pm Friday and gunshots were reported at the Linwood Ave mosque, 4km away, seven minutes later.
One person, Brenton Tarrant, has been charged with murder.
Police are still trying to work out the involvement of two people who are still being held in custody over the attacks.
Police took 36 minutes from the time a call was received to have the offender in custody.
What the mayor of Christchurch said
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel is encouraging residents to lay floral tributes along the Botanic Gardens wall.
She said people should stay away from the cordons near the city’s two mosques, and instead take their flowers to a site in Rolleston Avenue.
Council staff are working today to prepare grave sites so that victims could be buried as soon as possible in line with the requirements and sensitivities of the Islamic religion, Ms Dalziel said.
Ms Dalziel said the Christchurch Foundation, which had been set up in the aftermath of the earthquakes, would make an announcement today about a fund to help with rebuilding communities and rebuilding what had been lost.
[image:188963:full] Photo: RNZ
Vigils around the country
Vigils have been held around the country in support of the Muslim community.
As well as vigils outside mosques in Christchurch and Hamilton, hundreds gathered in the Octagon in Dunedin last night.
Earlier Saturday, thousands of people packed a vigil at Auckland’s Aotea Square.
A public vigil will be held in Wellington tonight in Civic Square.
There will be a vigil in Nelson on the church steps on Sunday, 17 March.
A memorial service will be held the Napier Soundshell on Marine Parade at 1pm on Monday, 18 March.
Hastings will also have one at the same time at the Hastings City Centre Clocktower.
A vigil will be held at Cathedral Square in Christchurch at 8.30pm on Thursday, 21 March.
The Jummah Remembrance: Vigil for Lives Taken in Christchurch will be held at Aotea Square in Auckland at 6pm on Friday, 22 March.
An anti-Islamophobia rally, Kia Kaha Aotearoa: Stand Against Racism, will be held at Aotea Square in Auckland at 2pm on Sunday, 24 March.
Are the risks limited to Christchurch?
Police said there was no guarantee the risk was limited to Canterbury and all New Zealanders needed to be extra vigilant. There is a heightened police presence nationwide.
Anyone who sees suspicious activity should call 111 immediately.
Distressing materials related to the attack are circulating online and police remind people it is an offence to distribute an objectionable publication. This is punishable by imprisonment.
Police said there would be a heightened police presence at community events today for safety and reassurance and dozens more officers would be moved to the Canterbury region.
What the prime minister said
Ms Ardern said that New Zealand gun laws would change and the government would move swiftly on that.
Tarrant was in possession of a gun licence. Five guns were used in the attack, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns.
A Givealittle page has been set up for victims and their families following the attack. By about 1pm on Saturday it had raised more than $1 million.
Those who have a missing family member are urged to go the Restoring Family Links (RFL) website, where they can register missing persons or register themselves as alive.
Missing persons can also be registered on 0800 115 019. A member of the police will be in contact thereafter.
Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
The Muslim community in Fiji says it is working with authorities to assess the status of any Fijians who may have been victims in the Christchurch mosque attacks yesterday.
Brenton Tarrant, 28, appeared in court this morning after the shooting attacks at two mosques in the New Zealand city left 49 people dead.
Fiji Muslim League’s National President Hafizud Khan asked people to stop spreading reports that Fijians may have been victims in the shootings.
He said they were liaising with authorities and the families of any Fijian Muslims who may have been in either of the mosques during the attacks to find out more information.
“We urge people to refrain from spreading invalidated reports of Fijians affected, either via social media or other sources, as it only adds to stress and suffering experienced by family members and loved ones.”
Hafizud Khan has also called upon all its members to hold special prayers at all mosques and centres for the victims.
“We request all Fijians to join us in praying for all the families and friends, in our peaceful and beautiful neighbouring Islands of New Zealand, who have suffered through this senseless act of terrorism.”
He also praised New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern for reassuring New Zealanders from all backgrounds and religions that they are valued.
The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre also announce it will hold a candlelight vigil tonight at their office and there are three mosques confirmed in each of the three divisions who are holding prayers that are open to public.
This article is republished under Kaniva’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.
The man, 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, appeared in the Christchurch District Court this morning.
He did not seek name suppression and has been remanded in custody.
Tarrant was handcuffed and appeared calm in court.
His appearance was over in five minutes, with the judge considering media applications from outlets from around the world. Pictures were allowed to be taken of the accussed but Tarrant’s face had to be pixelated.
Police said while he is currently facing only one charge, further charges will be laid.
The case will go to the High Court.
The court was closed to the public during the appearance due to the heightened security risk and media were walked in six at a time.
RNZ court reporter Anneke Smith said the charging document at court alleged the 28-year-old murdered a person whose name is suppressed by the judge.
The judge allowed media to take images but ordered Tarrant’s face to be pixelated to protect his fair trial rights.
A large media presence was at the court.
The police cordoned off a block near the Christchurch district court where the alleged gunman appeared.
A block east of the court has been cordoned off, with a bomb sniffer dog team and the armed offenders’ squad in attendance.
Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says World Rugby’s proposed Nations Championship is a tournament for the rugby’s rich elite.
The governing body wants a 12 team global championship to start in 2022, that would feature teams from the Six Nations and Rugby Championship as well as two additional countries based on world rankings.
Fiji and Japan were invited to a meeting in Dublin earlier this week, where World Rugby said the concept would guarantee over six and a half billion US dollars of investment in the sport over 12 years.
But Tuilaepa, who is also Chair of the Samoa Rugby Union, said the fact Italy are assured of a place, despite being ranked a lowly 14th in the World, proves the competition is not based on merit but purely on the wealth of the unions concerned.
“Italy does not rank high but because of the fact that it is within the Six Nations tournament it is chosen – not on the basis of the ranking. As well Japan and, if you consider the Pacific, right now Fiji is ranked ninth so Fiji ought to be included in the new set-up.”
Samoa and Fiji have both made two appearances in the Rugby World Cup quarter finals, while Tonga famously beat France at the 2011 tournament.
Tuilaepa said the Manu have a proud history in the international game and excluding tier two nations from any global league would be “hypocrisy of the highest order.”
“Since 1991 we have beaten over time the Irish, the Welsh many times, Scotland, Italy and of course the Wallabies. These are tier one countries and in 2013 we achieved the highest ranking of seventh in the world but we were never recognised as a country that should move up to tier one,” he said.
Tuilaepa said the biggest problem for tier two nations is the lack of international competition because the schedule is dictated by World Rugby.
“With more international competition the quality of our game is raised and we can never do that because of the decisions that are being made in Dublin.”
This article is republished under Kaniva’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Police Commissioner Mike Bush are giving a statement on the mosque shootings.
Watch Jacinda Ardern speaking to media:
Forty-nine people died at Al Noor Mosque next to Hagley Park and the Linwood Masjid Mosque.
Ms Ardern told media this morning she has just been briefed by intelligence officials.
She confirmed there are 49 people dead and over 40 were being treated in hospital, two of these people were in critical condition.
She also confirmed a five-year-old was transferred to Starship Hospital – the only transfer that had taken place.
Ms Ardern said work was underway to confirm the identities of those who have died but that all those who were injured had been identified and their families told.
She said Christchurch Hospital is well equipped and coping well and that pathologists had made themselves available, and a number were coming in from Australia.
Ms Ardern said three people have been arrested in relation to the attacks and an Australian will appear in court today.
“This individual has travelled around the world, with sporadic periods of time spent in New Zealand. They were not a resident of Christchurch, in fact they were currently based in Dunedin at the time of this event,” she said.
Inquiries are ongoing to establish whether the other two arrested were directly involved.
A fourth person was a member of the public who was armed but had the intention of assisting the police. They have been released.
The prime minister said police were working to build a picture of those in custody.
“None of those apprehended had a prior criminal history either here or in Australia,” she said. “They were not on any watchlists here or in Australia.”
Agencies have been asked to work swiftly to assess whether there were any posts on social media that should have triggered a response.
“Today as the country grieves, we are seeking answers,” Ms Ardern said.
Talking about the weapons used, she said she was advised that there were five guns used by the primary perpetrator.
“There were two semi automatic weapons and two shotguns. The offender was in possession of a gun license, I’m advised that this was acquired in November of 2017. A leather action firearm was also found.”
Ms Ardern said the safety of New Zealanders the biggest priority.
“I can tell you right now our gun laws will change.”
Christchurch residents have been asked to remain at home.
Armed police remain at a cordon near the Masjid Mosque in Linwood, Christchurch, this morning.
The corner of Hereford Street and Linwood Avenue remains closed to the public with closed signs, emergency tape and orange cones blocking access.
Ms Ardern said 45 additional police staff have flown to Christchurch with over 80 flying in today. Detectives, public safety teams and intelligence support are among the police staff.
Ms Ardern urged anyone in New Zealand to call or text 1737 if they are feeling distressed.
She reiterated calls from the police not to distribute material, like videos, related to the attack and stated that it is an offence to do so.
Yesterday police immediately secured the area, arrests were made swiftly and Defence quickly made improvised explosive devices safe, Ms Ardern said.
Mosques around the country have received advice from police about staying safe and have been told to stay closed.
Ms Ardern said the threat level remains at high and as such triggers increased aviation and border security.
A number of specialist family liaison staff have been deployed and the wider government will be working with leaders and members of the wider muslim community to provide assistance, reassurance and support.
Wally Huamaha and 15 ethnic liaison officers are assisting to repatriate loved ones in a way that is consistent with muslim beliefs while taking into account specific circumstances and obligations to the coroner, Ms Ardern said.
She is now flying to Christchurch on a Defence Force plane with leader of the opposition Simon Bridges and other political leaders.
Ms Ardern yesterday said it was “clear this was one of New Zealand’s darkest days”.
She said the attack is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence.
“These are people that I would describe as having extremist views, that have absolutely no place in New Zealand and in fact have no place in the world.”
This article is republished under Kaniva’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.
