Christchurch mosque shootings

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Christchurch mosque shootings
The Al Noor Mosque in August 2019
Map
LocationChristchurch, New Zealand
Coordinates
Date15 March 2019 (2019-03-15)
1:40 p.m. (NZDT; UTC+13)
TargetMuslim worshippers
Attack type
Mass shooting,[1] terrorist attack,[2] shooting spree, hate crime
Weapons
Deaths51[3]
Injured
49
PerpetratorBrenton Tarrant
Motive

The Christchurch mosque shootings were two terrorist mass shootings on 15 March 2019 at the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand during Friday prayers.[7] At least 51 people were killed and 40 others injured by gunman Brenton Tarrant in the shootings. It was described as a terrorist attack by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.[8][9][10]

Police have also confirmed that they had found multiple car bombs, which were successfully disarmed. This was the first mass shooting in New Zealand since the 1997 Raurimu massacre.[11][12][13]

Australian Brenton Tarrant was arrested and charged with murder.[14] Tarrant live streamed one of the attacks on Facebook Live.[15] Tarrant pleaded guilty to the murders in March 2020 and was sentenced to prison with no parole.[16]

Attacks[change | change source]

Al Noor Mosque, Riccarton[change | change source]

Tarrant began to shoot worshippers in the Al Noor Mosque at around 13:40. Between 300 and 500 people could have been in the mosque during Friday prayers when the shooting happened.[17] Someone who lived nearby said the shooter ran from the mosque and dropped a gun.[18] They also said that the man was wearing military-style clothes.

Tarrant live streamed the first 17 minutes of the attack on Facebook live. The stream showed the whole attack on the Al Noor Mosque, and finished as he was driving to the Linwood Islamic Centre.[19] The first victim of the shooting could be heard greeting the shooter on the stream by saying "Hello, brother", who was killed straight after.[20][21][22] The shooter was at the mosque for six minutes before driving away. Police were told about the attack at 1:53 p.m.[23]

Linwood Islamic Centre[change | change source]

A second attack happened at around 1:55 p.m.[24] at the Linwood Islamic Centre.[25][26] It is a mosque 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from the Al Noor Mosque.[20] Seven people were killed there.

The mosque's imam said that a person called Abdul Aziz stopped the attack before Tarrant could get into the building. He grabbed a credit card machine and threw it at the attacker. Tarrant then shot at Aziz, who picked up an empty shotgun on the floor and threw it through the window of Tarrant's car. Tarrant then drove away.[27][28][29]

Explosive devices[change | change source]

The police found two improvised explosive devices in a car. They were defused by the New Zealand Defence Force and did not explode.[30]

Response[change | change source]

In response to the shootings, Jacinda Ardern announced that the New Zealand government will be introducing stronger firearms regulations.[31] She said that the Christchurch mosque attacks has lead to her to see many major weaknesses in New Zealand's gun law.[32] On 10 April 2019, less than one month after the attack, the New Zealand Parliament passed a law that bans most semiautomatic weapons and assault rifles, parts that convert guns into semiautomatic guns, and higher capacity magazines.[33]

On 15 May 2019, Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired the Christchurch Call summit.[34] The aim of this summit was to "bring together countries and tech companies in an attempt to bring to an end the ability to use social media to organise and promote terrorism and violent extremism".[34] This means she is trying to tell the world's technology companies to take serious measures to actively prevent the internet's social media from promoting terrorism and violent extremism.

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ Roy, Eleanor Ainge; Sherwood, Harriet; Parveen, Nazia (15 March 2019). "Christchurch attack: suspect had white-supremacist symbols on weapons". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019. A bomb disposal team was called in to dismantle explosive devices found in a stopped car.
  2. ↑ "'There Will Be Changes' to Gun Laws, New Zealand Prime Minister Says". The New York Times. 17 March 2019. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  3. ↑ "Turkish citizen hurt in Christchurch attacks dies, NZ death toll at 51: Minister". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  4. ↑ Welby, Peter (16 March 2019). "Ranting 'manifesto' exposes the mixed-up mind of a terrorist". Arab News. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  5. ↑ Perrigo, Billy (20 March 2019). "The New Zealand Attack Exposed How White Supremacy Has Long Flourished Online". Time. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  6. ↑ Achenbach, Joel (18 August 2019). "Two mass killings a world apart share a common theme: 'ecofascism'". The Washington Post.
  7. ↑ Gelineau, Kristen; Gambrell, Jon (15 March 2019). "New Zealand mosque shooter is a white supremacist angry at immigrants, documents and video reveal". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "Christchurch mosque shootings: 'This can only be described as a terrorist attack' - PM Jacinda Ardern". 15 March 2019.
  9. ↑ Mackintosh, Eliza; Mezzofiore, Gianluca (15 March 2019). "Suspect in New Zealand mass shooting charged with murder". CNN. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  10. ↑ Saldiva, Gabriela. "Number Of Dead Rises To 50 In New Zealand Mass Shooting". NPR. Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  11. ↑ Leask, Anna (3 February 2017). "Raurimu 20 years on: the madman, the massacre and the memories". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  12. ↑ Graham-McLay, Charlotte; Ramzy, Austin (14 March 2019). "New Zealand Police Say Multiple Deaths in 2 Mosque Shootings in Christchurch". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  13. ↑ "Mass shootings at New Zealand mosques". www.cnn.com. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  14. ↑ "Christchurch mosque terror: Accused killer smirked in court". Otago Daily Times Online News. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  15. ↑ Hunt, Elle; Rawlinson, Kevin; Wahlquist, Calla (16 March 2019). "'Darkest day': how the press reacted to the Christchurch shootings". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 March 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
  16. ↑ "Christchurch mosque attacks: Accused pleads guilty to murder, attempted murder and terrorism". Stuff. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
  17. ↑ "LIVE: Mass shooting at Christchurch mosque as police respond to 'active shooter' situation". 1 News NOW. 15 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  18. ↑ "Reports of multiple casualties in Christchurch mosque shooting". ABC News. 15 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  19. ↑ "Christchurch mosque shootings: Gunman livestreamed 17 minutes of shooting terror". The New Zealand Herald. 15 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Perry, Nick; Baker, Mark (15 March 2019). "Mosque shootings kill 49; white racist claims responsibility". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  21. ↑ "'Hello brother': Muslim worshipper's 'last words' to gunman". Al Jazzera. 15 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  22. ↑ "'Hello brother,' first Christchurch mosque victim said to shooter". Toronto City News. 15 March 2019.
  23. ↑ "Video captures act of bravery as police arrest Christchurch shooting suspect". Stuff. 16 March 2019. Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  24. ↑ "Man who scared away gunman at Christchurch mosque hailed a hero". Stuff. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  25. ↑ "Christchurch gets its second mosque". Indian Weekender. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  26. ↑ Barraclough, Breanna (15 March 2019). "Christchurch mosque shooting: Footage emerges of alleged gunman". Newshub. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  27. ↑ Perry, Nick. "Man who stood up to mosque gunman probably saved lives". Associated Press News. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  28. ↑ "New Zealand shootings: Hero picked up mosque attacker's gun and chased him". Sky News. Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  29. ↑ Garrison, Joey. "How a hero in New Zealand mosque attack used cat-and-mouse chase, shooter's own gun to save lives". USA Today. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  30. ↑ "Christchurch mosque shooting kills 49, gun laws will change PM says". Stuff. 16 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  31. ↑ Walls, Jason (16 March 2019). "Christchurch mosque shootings: New Zealand to ban semi-automatic weapons". nzherald.co.nz. The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  32. ↑ Ainge Roy, Eleanor (19 March 2019). "Jacinda Ardern says cabinet agrees New Zealand gun reform 'in principle'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  33. ↑ Graham-McLay, Charlotte (10 April 2019). "New Zealand Passes Law Banning Most Semiautomatic Weapons, Weeks After Massacre". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Core group of world leaders to attend Jacinda Ardern-led Paris summit". The New Zealand Herald. 29 April 2019. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christchurch_mosque_shootings&oldid=9419724"