The Christchurch mosque shootings were two terrorist mass shootings on 15 March 2019 at the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand during Friday prayers. At least 51 people were killed and 49 others injured by gunman Brenton Tarrant in the shootings. It was described as a terrorist attack by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Police have also confirmed that they had found multiple car bombs, which were successfully disarmed. This was the first mass shooting in New Zealand since the 1997 Raurimu massacre.

Australian Brenton Tarrant was arrested and charged with murder. Tarrant live streamed one of the attacks on Facebook Live. Tarrant pleaded guilty to the murders in March 2020 and was sentenced to prison with no parole.

Attacks

Al Noor Mosque, Riccarton
Tarrant began to shoot worshippers in the Al Noor Mosque at around 13:40.  Between 300 and 500 people could have been in the mosque during Friday prayers when the shooting happened. Someone who lived nearby said the shooter ran from the mosque and dropped a gun. They also said that the man was wearing military-style clothes.

Tarrant live streamed the first 17 minutes of the attack on Facebook live. The stream showed the whole attack on the Al Noor Mosque, and finished as he was driving to the Linwood Islamic Centre. The first victim of the shooting could be heard greeting the shooter on the stream by saying "Hello, brother", who was killed straight after. The shooter was at the mosque for six minutes before driving away. Police were told about the attack at 1:53 p.m.

Linwood Islamic Centre
A second attack happened at around 1:55 p.m. at the Linwood Islamic Centre. It is a mosque  away from the Al Noor Mosque. Seven people were killed there.

The mosque's imam said that a person called Abdul Aziz stopped the attack before Tarrant could get into the building. He grabbed a credit card machine and threw it at the attacker. Tarrant then shot at Aziz, who picked up an empty shotgun on the floor and threw it through the window of Tarrant's car. Tarrant then drove away.

Explosive devices
The police found two improvised explosive devices in a car. They were defused by the New Zealand Defence Force and did not explode.

Response
In response to the shootings, Jacinda Ardern announced that the New Zealand government will be introducing stronger firearms regulations. She said that the Christchurch mosque attacks has lead to her to see many major weaknesses in New Zealand's gun law. On 10 April 2019, less than one month after the attack, the New Zealand Parliament passed a law that bans most semiautomatic weapons and assault rifles, parts that convert guns into semiautomatic guns, and higher capacity magazines.

On 15 May 2019, Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired the Christchurch Call summit. The aim of this summit was to "bring together countries and tech companies in an attempt to bring to an end the ability to use social media to organise and promote terrorism and violent extremism". This means she is trying to tell the world's technology companies to take serious measures to actively prevent the internet's social media from promoting terrorism and violent extremism.

References

2019 mass shootings
2010s in New Zealand
Attacks on buildings and structures in 2019
Attacks on mosques
Mosque shootings

Islamophobic attacks and incidents
Jacinda Ardern
March 2019 events

Massacres
Religious building shootings
Terrorist incidents in 2019