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Forty-nine people have been killed and four people have been arrested after an attacker opened fire during Friday prayers at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch.
Here’s what we know so far:
– 41 people were killed at the Masjid Al Noor mosque in central Christchurch and seven people died inside the suburban Linwood Masjid Mosque. One died in hospital.
– 48 others, including young children, are being treated in hospital for gun shot wounds.
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– A male in his late 20s has been charged with murder and is due to appear at a Christchurch court on Saturday morning.
– New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern said the national security threat level had been lifted from low to high, adding the shootings appeared to have been a well-planned "terrorist attack". She described it as "one of New Zealand's darkest days".
– The suspected attacker – Brenton Tarrant – appears to have live-streamed the attack on Facebook. Police have urged the public not to share the "extremely distressing" material online.
– The 28-year-old Australian described his anti-immigrant motives in an online manifesto.
– Police said they are not actively looking for any identified suspects but said it would be “wrong to assume that there is no one else”.
– Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said one of those arrested was an Australian citizen and described the suspected attacker as an “extremist right-wing violent terrorist”.
– Two improvised explosive devices were found on a vehicle after the shootings. One has been defused and the second is in the process of being disabled.
– Officers first received reports of shots fired in central Christchurch at about 1.40pm local time (12.40am Irish time).
– All schools in Christchurch were put on lockdown and mosques told to shut their doors. – PA