For more than 17 minutes a gunman livestreamed the untold damage he inflicted on New Zealand's Muslim community. Here is how the deadly attack on two mosques in Christchurch unfolded.
Image: AFP/Getty Images/T. Burrows
Advertisement
New Zealand is reeling in the wake of the most deadly mass shooting in its history. Here is a timeline of the vicious attack targeting Muslims in the southern city of Christchurch. The attack left 50 dead and injured a further 50.
Friday's deadly right-wing terror attack targeted mosques in the center of the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch
All times local (Christchurch, New Zealand, is 13 hours ahead of UTC). Entries reflect events at given time on day of the attack, Friday, March 15, 2019.
Prior to attack Shooter publishes white supremacist manifesto detailing attack motivations online.
13:31 (approximate) Shooter emails manifesto to media outlets and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's office, who forwards it to parliamentary security within minutes.
13:40 Shooter enters Al Noor Mosque, livestreaming the attack on Facebook as he opens fire with an automatic weapon, killing 42 people. The shooter remains in the mosque for two minutes. He leaves, shoots at people on the street, retrieves another rifle from his car and re-enters the mosque. After leaving the mosque again, the gunman shoots a woman outside.
13:57 Facebook removes livestream video after police alert the company. It continues circulating on other platforms, with new versions being uploaded as fast as others are removed.
14:10 Police arrive at the Al Noor Mosque responding to reports of gunfire. At the same time, a shooter enters Linwood Islamic Center 6 kilometers (4 miles) away, opening fire and killing seven. One more individual later dies in hospital. Witnesses say that a worshipper managed to disarm the assailant, forcing him to flee.
16:00 New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush announces that one person has been detained, but that others may still be at large.
16:12 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern calls the attack "one of New Zealand's darkest days."
16:28 New Zealand police request that people stay away from mosques.
17:30 Police announce four people have been taken into custody in connection with the attack. Commissioner Bush also confirms that two improvised explosive devices were discovered in one vehicle near Al Noor Mosque.
19:30 Ardern calls the shooting a terrorist attack.
21:52 One suspect is released. Police say one person "was arrested earlier today, however, that was not related to these events." Three others remain in custody.
22:14 Police announce that a 28-year-old white male has been charged with murder and will be arraigned on Saturday.
00:00 Police confirm an operation in Dunedin, 320 kilometers away, describing it as a "location of interest."
Christchurch grieves right-wing terror attack
New Zealand and the world reeled from a right-wing mosque massacre on Friday. The terror shooting left behind grievous scenes.
Image: Reuters/H. Nicholls
'There was blood everywhere'
A witness said "there was blood everywhere," after a right-wing terror attack on two New Zealand mosques killed 50 on Friday. Another witness saw a man in black enter the Al Noor mosque during prayers in Christchurch and heard dozens of shots before fleeing, adding that he saw several dead on the scene. As of Friday afternoon 48 people, including children, were being treated for gunshot wounds.
Image: Reuters/SNPA/M. Hunter
Twin attacks target two mosques
Police asked all mosques across New Zealand to close while they hunted those responsible for the twin attacks. Al Noor mosque (above) is approximately 7 kilometers across the city from Linwood Mosque, the site of the second shooting.
Image: Reuters/SNPA/M. Hunter
City on lockdown
Police initially arrested four people, two of them armed, and later charged one with murder. An Australian man, Brenton Tarrant, is alleged to have filmed himself carrying out the shooting and streamed it on social media. A manifesto was also published online, praising white men who had carried out similar massacres. It also called US President Donald Trump a "symbol of renewed white identity."
Image: Reuters
'Atmosphere of fear'
The attacker's stated aim was to "create an atmosphere of fear" and "incite violence" against Muslims. Police said they recovered several guns from the mosques and two explosive devices in two vehicles at the scene. While the suspects were unknown to police, they said the attack appeared to have been well planned. Police were not searching for other suspects, but were on alert
Image: Reuters
Narrow escape as shock spreads
The world reacted in shock. Anger spread in some countries and security was heightened at prayers at this mosque in Bangladesh as news was released that the Bangladeshi cricket team had narrowly escaped the shooting. The players had arrived at one of the mosques as the attack was unfolding when they heard gunshots.
Image: Reuters/M. Ponir Hossain
'One of New Zealand's darkest days'
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack as terrorism, calling it "one of New Zealand’s darkest days." "Many directly affected by this shooting may be migrants to New Zealand, they may even be refugees here...They are us. The person who has perpetuated this violence against us is not," she said.
Image: Getty Images/M. Tantrum
World in mourning
Friday sermons across the world were dominated by grief and prayers for the lives lost in the attack. Prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem (here) mourned the victims. Demonstrations in other major cities such as Sydney, Istanbul and London condemned global terror.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/F. Abu Rmeleh
Dismay at 'senseless violence'
Leaders across the world expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn outside New Zealand House in London. Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed solidarity against "racist hatred," and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called it an "attack on all of us." Queen Elizabeth was "deeply saddened," while other leaders expressed their outrage at hate speech.
