This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
On March 15, 2019, a devastating terror attack shook the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. The attack, which was live-streamed on Facebook, resulted in the loss of at least 49 lives and left 20 others seriously injured.
The lone gunman, identified as 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, targeted two mosques in Christchurch, Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque. The attack began at Al Noor Mosque, where at least 41 people were killed, and continued at Linwood Mosque, where seven more lives were lost.
Armed with semi-automatic rifles, Tarrant streamed the attack live on Facebook for 17 minutes, claiming to represent Europeans and whites in a battle against immigrants, whom he referred to as 'invaders.' He also referenced the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and warned of a civil war if attempts were made to take away guns in the U.S.
Before the attack, Tarrant posted a 73-page manifesto online, outlining his racist and white supremacist views. The shooter's weapons were marked with white supremacist symbols and the names of historical figures who fought against the Ottoman Empire.
Following the attack, New Zealand's threat level was raised to the second-highest, and Christchurch was put on lockdown. The Prime Minister assured the public that there was no reason to believe other attackers were at large.
