Prime Minister: One of New Zealand's darkest days Survivor: I prayed the shooter would run out of bullets New Zealand Prime Minister: This was a terrorist attack Expert: Catching videos on social media harder than you think New Zealand mom worries: Waiting to see if son is all right In the wake of the deadly attack against two mosques in New Zealand, police officers sit in their vehicle out side the Al Aqsa Islamic Society mosque in Philadelphia, ahead of prayers Friday, March 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) A police officer secures the area in front of the Masjid al Noor mosque after a shooting incident in Christchurch on March 15, 2019. - Attacks on two Christchurch mosques left at least 49 dead on March 15, with one gunman -- identified as an Australian extremist -- apparently livestreaming the assault that triggered the lockdown of the New Zealand city. (Photo by Tessa BURROWS / AFP) (Photo credit should read TESSA BURROWS/AFP/Getty Images) Tributes laid at the police line close to the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch where 41 people died. Scenes from one of New Zealand's 'darkest days' Police stand outside a mosque in Linwood, Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, March 15, 2019. Multiple people were killed during shootings at two mosques full of people attending Friday prayers. (AP Photo/Mark Baker) (CNN) — Fifty people were killed and 50 others wounded in a terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, police announced Sunday. The unprecedented mass shootings were carefully planned, and have shocked the usually peaceful nation New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack on Friday as one of her country’s “darkest days.” She said that the suspects held “extremist views” that have no place in New Zealand or anywhere else in the world. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Stacey Squires/The Press/Stuff NZ A man with blood-stained clothing is seen near the Linwood mosque on Friday, March 15. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP Paramedics load an injured man into an ambulance in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday, March 15. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP A man reacts as he speaks on a cell phone near one of the mosques. The two mosques targeted were the al Noor mosque on Deans Avenue and the Linwood mosque on Linwood Avenue. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Martin Hunter/EPA Bloodied bandages litter the road on Deans Avenue. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP A body lies outside one of the mosques. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Police Commissioner Mike Bush speaks to the media during a news conference in Wellington. Bush said two improvised explosive devices were attached to a vehicle as part of the attack. One device was disabled and authorities were working on the other. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP A police officer attempts to move people away from a mosque. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images Members of the public react in front of the al Noor mosque after the attack. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Tessa Burrows/AFP/Getty Images A forensics official works at the al Noor mosque after the attack. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP Armed police patrol outside one of the mosques. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP People stand across the road from one of the targeted mosques. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Martin Hunter/SNPA/EPA People grieve on a curb in Christchurch. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP People talk on their phones after the attacks. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Diederik van Heyningen/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Members of the media wait around the scene as police officers cordon off the area. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Mark Baker/AP Ambulances and medical personnel stand by outside a mosque. Photos: In photos: Terror attack at New Zealand mosques PHOTO: Diederik van Heyningen/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Police block off the area around one of the mosques. Prev Next An Australian citizen in his late 20s has been charged with murder in connection with the attacks. Two other people were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the shootings. Here’s what we know so far. Where the Christchurch shootings happened A gunman targeted two mosques in central Christchurch at lunchtime Friday local time. Friday is the busiest day for many mosques around the world. The first and most deadly shooting took place just after 1:30 pm at al Noor mosque. A graphic video which streamed live on social media for about 17 minutes purports to show a portion of the attack: In it, a man is seen driving through the streets of Christchurch before arriving at the mosque and eventually opening fire. The horrific attack on al Noor Mosque, including the time where shooter returns to the car to re-arm, lasts approximately six minutes. As the shooter drove away from al Noor mosque, he opened fire on several people who were walking along the street, the video appears to show. Social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter struggled to halt the spread of the footage, raising new questions about the companies’ ability to manage harmful content on their platforms. Shortly after the livestream ended, a second attack took place at Linwood mosque. At least seven people were killed there and another died later at the hospital. A number of weapons were recovered at both locations. Ardern said improvised explosive devices were also found at the scene. What we know about the suspects Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder in connection to the unprecedented attack on the two mosques. He appeared in Christchurch district court on Saturday. During his brief appearance, Tarrant was handcuffed and accompanied by three officers armed with tasers. He was silent during his court appearance and has been remanded in custody to reappear in court on April 5. Just before the shootings, a link to an 87-page manifesto on Twitter and 8chan, an online messaging board that has been used by anonymous accounts to share extremist messages and cheer on mass shooters, was posted to an account in Tarrant’s name The manifesto is unsigned. Its author claims to be a 28-year-old white man, born in Australia. It is filled with anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments, as well as explanations for an attack. Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald/Pool/Reuters Brenton Tarrant appears in the Christchurch District Court. New Zealand requires that his face is pixelated. Tarrant has traveled around the world, “with sporadic periods of time spent in New Zealand,” Ardern said in a press conference. She added that he was based in Dunedin, New Zealand at the time of the attack. She told reporters that none of the people who had been arrested, including Tarrant, had been on any watch lists. New Zealand’s gun control laws scrutinized Prime Minister Ardern announced early Saturday local time that New Zealand’s gun laws would change in response to the terror attack. She said the primary perpetrator was in possession of a gun license and used five guns during the attack – including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns. “While work is being done as to the chain of events that lead to both the holding of this gun license and the possession of these weapons, I can tell you one thing right now. Our gun laws will change,” she said at a news conference in Wellington. Until Friday, the biggest massacre in New Zealand’s history happened nearly 30 years ago, when a man killed 13 people in a shooting rampage. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaking to the media following the attack. The nation’s gun laws were eventually changed after the attack, regulating military-style semi-automatic firearms.<doc-sep>On Friday, it was one of the few broadcasters in the world which repeatedly aired edited clips of the Christchurch gunman's video. It, and other Australian broadcasters Channel Seven and Nine, are now on notice to be investigated by the nation's media watchdog.<doc-sep>People comfort each other as they pay their respects to the victims of the Christchurch terrorist attack. Photo: Xinhua<doc-sep>
Ms. Ardern said none of those detained had been on security watch lists. Mr. Bush had earlier urged people not to go to mosques anywhere in New Zealand on Friday. He also urged mosques nationally to “close your doors until you hear from us again.” Handcuffed suspect appears in court In a Christchurch courtroom hearing closed to the public for security reasons, police officers in bulletproof vests brought in the suspect, Brenton Harrison Tarrant. The police said he had been charged with one count of murder but would face additional charges. Mr. Tarrant, 28, short with thinning brown hair, handcuffed and wearing white prison clothing, looked around the courtroom but said nothing as District Court Judge Paul Kellar ordered him held for a further hearing on April 5. Regional officials have said Mr. Tarrant is an Australian citizen. Court papers listed his New Zealand address as Dunedin City, which is about 280 miles south of Christchurch. Richard Peters, his court-appointed lawyer, said Mr. Tarrant had indicated he might represent himself in the prosecution. Asked how Mr. Tarrant had reacted to what he is facing, Mr. Peters said, “He seemed to be quite aware of where he is and what he’s doing.” At the same time the charging document for Mr. Tarrant was handed out to reporters, a second court filing was distributed that said Daniel John Burrough, 18, of Christchurch, had been charged with “intent to excite hostility or ill-will.” Court officials would not elaborate on how the two cases were related. In addition to Mr. Tarrant, three other people were arrested in connection with the attacks, although one was apparently released. Few details have been offered about them. A range of nationalities among the dead and injured Families are mourning loved ones, and the city of Christchurch is preparing to bury its dead. As news trickles out about the victims of the massacre, their nationalities are beginning to emerge. Though officials have not released the names of those killed, a list of those missing has been published by the New Zealand Red Cross on its website. It includes people from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Jordan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. At least three people from Bangladesh were killed, and another two from Jordan, according to local news reports. Five people from Pakistan are missing, and several others were injured, officials in Pakistan confirmed. Other foreign ministries around the world said their citizens were caught up in the attack, including three people from Turkey. Video shows part of the shooting A 17-minute video posted to Facebook shows part of the attack. The clip, which appeared to have been taken from a helmet camera worn by the gunman, begins behind the wheel of a car. A man, whose face can occasionally be seen in the rearview mirror, drives through the streets of Christchurch before pulling up in front of Al Noor Mosque, beside the sprawling Hagley Park. [Read more here about the video, manifesto and social media posts.]