Forty people have been killed and 20 seriously injured after gunmen attacked two Christchurch mosques during Friday prayer in what New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden has called a well-planned "terrorist attack."Three people have been arrested in connection with the attack, one of whom has been confirmed to be an Australian citizen. A fourth person was also arrested, but not in connection to the attack.Arden said the attack was "unprecedented," well planned and ideologically motivated.
"You may have chosen us but we utterly reject and condemn you," she said.Police have said they are continuing to treat it as an ongoing situation.A number of improvised explosive devices attached to the suspects' vehicles were discovered in the area but have been defused by the defense force, Arden said.The National Security Threat has been raised from low to high.New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said in a press conference that all available resources have been mobilized."We are doing everything we can to make sure there is no more harm to their communities," he said, explaining that resources were being poured into the area from all over Canterbury.He said a resource facility center was being set up for people to make phone calls and receive information about their loved ones."This is requiring every police and emergency resource that we have available," he said.He said that there is video of the attack circulating on social media and that the police is doing everything it can to have it removed.Facebook New Zealand spokesman Mia Garlick has since said video of the shooting has been removed and that praise or support of the crimes is being deleted."Police alerted us to a video on Facebook shortly after the livestream commenced and we quickly removed both the shooter's Facebook and Instagram accounts and the video," she said.The lockdown on schools in Christchurch announced shortly after the shooting began has since been lifted.
"You may have chosen us but we utterly reject and condemn you," she said.Police have said they are continuing to treat it as an ongoing situation.A number of improvised explosive devices attached to the suspects' vehicles were discovered in the area but have been defused by the defense force, Arden said.The National Security Threat has been raised from low to high.New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said in a press conference that all available resources have been mobilized."We are doing everything we can to make sure there is no more harm to their communities," he said, explaining that resources were being poured into the area from all over Canterbury.He said a resource facility center was being set up for people to make phone calls and receive information about their loved ones."This is requiring every police and emergency resource that we have available," he said.He said that there is video of the attack circulating on social media and that the police is doing everything it can to have it removed.Facebook New Zealand spokesman Mia Garlick has since said video of the shooting has been removed and that praise or support of the crimes is being deleted."Police alerted us to a video on Facebook shortly after the livestream commenced and we quickly removed both the shooter's Facebook and Instagram accounts and the video," she said.The lockdown on schools in Christchurch announced shortly after the shooting began has since been lifted.