Terror Christchurch shootings: New Zealand in shock after mosque attacks

BravoZulu

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Australia
New Zealand is in mourning after 49 people were killed at two mosques in the country's deadliest-ever shooting.
PM Jacinda Ardern described Friday's shooting in the city of Christchurch as one of New Zealand's "darkest days".
Flowers have been left outside mosques across the country as worried families wait for news of missing loved ones.
A gunman believed to be a white supremacist live-streamed the rampage. A man in his late 20s has been arrested and is due to appear in court.
Two other people are in custody. No names have been made public.
A total of 48 people were wounded in the shootings. The identities of the dead and wounded have not been released.
Bangladesh, India and Indonesia all say some of their citizens were killed in the shooting and others are unaccounted for.
On Saturday, Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel expressed "revulsion" at this "act of terrorism" and solidarity with the victims.
"We have welcomed new people into our city. They are our friends, they are our neighbours," she told reporters. "We want to come together to support them."
Security remains tight across Christchurch. All mosques in New Zealand have been closed.

How events unfolded
The first report of an attack came from the Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch during Friday prayers at 13:40 (00:40 GMT).
A gunman drove to the front door, entered and fired on worshippers for about five minutes.
The gunman, who live-streamed the attack from a head-mounted camera, said he was a 28-year-old Australian called Brenton Tarrant. The footage showed him shooting at men, women and children.
A survivor told the New Zealand Herald newspaper how he escaped through a window.
Moroccan-born Nour Tavis said he was in the front row when the shooting started.
"People were running and all of a sudden you saw them fall," he said. He saw someone smash a window. "I followed… it was the safest place to get out."
The wife of one of his friends was killed, he said.
"When she heard the noise, she wanted to go and make sure her husband was safe," he said. "She got the bullet, her husband got away."
The gunman is then said to have driven about 5km (three miles) to another mosque in the suburb of Linwood where the second shooting occurred.
One witness described how one of the worshippers had managed to disarm the man, who ran to a waiting car outside.
It is not clear where the arrests were made.
The visiting Bangladesh national cricket team had a narrow escape: they were on their way to pray at Al Noor mosque.
Police say they recovered firearms from both mosques, and explosive devices were found in a car belonging to one of the suspects.
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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47590685
 
Wow, I didn't know NZ police were so heavily armed and equipped.
 
A terrible event my thoughts are with all those killed and there families.
 
Wow, I didn't know NZ police were so heavily armed and equipped.
Like Aussie police mate, not all units are AR15 equipped, specific vehicles and trained officers will have access to them in their vehicles. The normal patrol officer has his sidearm and other less than lethal options on his vest/belt
 
IS and other islamists are already answering
(photo credit to armory bazaar on twitter)
170453
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They are wrting stuff on their AKs just like the attacker of christchurch did on his AR
 
New Zealand Police are currently in a state of general arming, sidearms only. Ordinarily, officers are not armed, but rather store rifles and pistols in their vehicles. Officers arm themselves based on the perceived threat of the incident they are attending.
 

It's a watershed moment for gun control in New Zealand, but there are no quick fixes (CNN).
Strict gun legislation doesn't prevent terrorist attacks see france see sweden see germany. its always just used to calm upset minds.
 
This is because it is seen as easier to “fix” the ‘how’ and not focus on the ‘why’. Seeing this tragedy as a gun control matter is like seeing the road toll as a car problem.
 
Disarming law abiding citizens only makes it easier for terrorists to kill innocent people. They will always have weapons because laws mean nothing to them. I remain a strong proponent of licensed concealed carry. Successful applicants would be screened and educated - and would also have to demonstrate competence with a gun before a license would be issued.

The main argument for concealed carry: when seconds count, police are only minutes away.
 
Like Aussie police mate, not all units are AR15 equipped, specific vehicles and trained officers will have access to them in their vehicles. The normal patrol officer has his sidearm and other less than lethal options on his vest/belt

Thanks BravoZulu, I was not aware they were so well equipped, good for them! Their body armor kit is top drawer--Nice!!
 
Well the law will be passed tomorrow and make myself and several 10's of thousands of my fellow gun owners criminals unless we hand in our now prohibited weapons. They still haven't given any real details about the $ figures but i suspect that it will blow well over the budget of $200 - $300 million that they originally said.
 
Well the law will be passed tomorrow and make myself and several 10's of thousands of my fellow gun owners criminals unless we hand in our now prohibited weapons. They still haven't given any real details about the $ figures but i suspect that it will blow well over the budget of $200 - $300 million that they originally said.

:oops:So they will compensate you?, how many do you have to hand over (sadly)
 
:oops:So they will compensate you?, how many do you have to hand over (sadly)

They have said they will, but the details are still a bit lacking.
Just one rifle for me.
There are rough estimates by some people that it could blow out to over $750 mil and of course that only removes the ones people willing give up.
 
You know the money will not go anywhere near covering the cost of the rifle(s), let alone all the extras that come with one. A friend of mine has, wait for it, 26 different AR / MSR rifles. I’m a bolt action guy, so it does not affect me. I still resent the law and the taking away of liberties by a socialist government. Plus, the gangs have already said they are not giving up their guns. Cool, huh? And, Police’s own statistics show firearms are only used in 10% of murders, behind stabbing and beating. And, I’ll stop soon, police seized more cut down shotguns and 22s than any other firearm whatsoever. Do I feel safer now? And, if you have the time or the inclination, read this https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12221330 as an insight of how New Zealand has responded.
 
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Yes it has always seemed strange to me that governments choose the easy option when something like this occurs, perhaps they should look at the cause not the way in which this tragedy was committed but then that is probably in the too hard to do tray on their desks.
 
Governments are not really interested in whether or not their policies actually make any difference, as long as they are "perceived" to be making a difference.
As long as it "looks" like they are trying to make a difference it doesn't matter if there is any actuality
 
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