New Zealand mosque shooting: PM Jacinda Ardern informed that it was a well planned terror attack.
New Zealand's prime minister vowed to toughen the country's gun laws after revealing on Saturday that the man accused of murdering 49 people in two mosques legally purchased the arsenal of firearms used in the massacre.
Twenty-eight-year-old gunman Brenton Tarrant, an Australian national has been accused of murder and will be presented in court today. PM Jacinda Ardern said the gunman, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, obtained a "Category A" gun licence in November 2017 and began purchasing the five weapons used in Friday's attacks in the southern city of Christchurch the following month.
Forty-nine people died and at least 20 were injured in a terror attack in New Zealand's Christchurch during Friday prayers. Three people were arrested. The police said the attacks were racially motivated. The Indian High Commission said nine Indians were reportedly missing.
Here are the LIVE Updates on Christchurch mosque shooting:
The firearms included two semi-automatic rifles, two shotguns and a lever-action weapon, PM Ardern said. "The mere fact... that this individual had acquired a gun licence and acquired weapons of that range, then obviously I think people will be seeking change, and I'm committing to that," she said.
"While work is being done as to the chain of events that led to both the holding of this gun licence, and the possession of these weapons, I can tell you one thing right now -- our gun laws will change."
Rural cops brought down Christchurch massacre accused: PM
A pair of rural New Zealand police officers dramatically arrested the suspected Christchurch gunman 36 minutes after authorities were alerted, it emerged Saturday, as the prime minister hailed their bravery. "The offender was mobile, there were two other firearms in the vehicle that the offender was in, and it absolutely was his intention to continue with his attack," Ms Ardern said.
During her 40-minute address at the Christchurch Canterbury Refugee Centre, PM Ardern delivered a message of unity to the country's Islamic community, the worst affected by the bloody massacre of Friday, when gunmen opened fire at two mosques.
"You were quick to mention this is not the New Zealand that you know. I want to reaffirm that today. This is not New Zealand," Ms Arden said.
Accused Shooter charged with murder Brenton Tarrant has been charged with murder. The former fitness instructor and self-professed fascist occasionally turned to look at media present in court during the brief hearing that the public were excluded from for security reasons.
He has been charged with one count of murder. Judge Paul Kellar did not reveal the victim's name on grounds of undue hardship to his family. He was remanded in custody without a plea and is due appear in court again on April 5.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described Friday's shooting at a mosque in Christchurch as one of the "darkest days".
"What has happened in Christchurch is an extraordinary act of unprecedented violence. It has no place in New Zealand. Many of those affected will be members of our migrant communities New Zealand is their home they are us," Ms Ardern said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Condemned the attack Nine people from India or of Indian origin have gone missing after Friday's twin shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.
US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed concerns that the massacre by an apparent white supremacist in New Zealand indicates a dangerous trend.
"I don't really. I think it's a small group of people that have very, very serious problems, I guess," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
"If you look what happened in New Zealand, perhaps that's the case. I don't know enough about it yet."
Facebook removed the video after alerts by New Zealand police The Friday massacre at two New Zealand mosques, live-streamed to the world, was not the first time that violent crimes have been broadcast on the internet, but trying to stop the spread of a video once it has been posted online has turned into a virtual game of whack-a-mole. The livestream of the mass shooting lasted for 17 minutes.
Facebook said it acted to remove the video after being alerted to it by New Zealand police shortly after the livestream began.