New Zealand Police Shoot Man Dead After Stabbing Multiple Shoppers In ‘ISIS-Inspired’ Supermarket Terror Attack
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A man has been shot dead after stabbing several people in a New Zealand supermarket.
The individual entered the New Lynn, Auckland-based store and stabbed six people in what’s being described as an ‘ISIS-inspired terrorist attack’ today, September 3.
It’s believed the only fatality was the terrorist themselves, but three of the six stabbed have sustained serious injuries.
He was killed within 60 seconds of starting the spree of stabbings. Videos shared online could hear a succession of around 10 shots being fired.
The unnamed man, a Sri Lankan national, was known by police, Sky News reports, and was said to be a ‘violent extremist’. He moved to New Zealand in 2011, and became known to the police five years ago as a terrorism threat.
Speaking at a news conference, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said:
A violent extremist undertook a terrorist attack on innocent New Zealanders. This was someone who was known to our national security agencies and was of concern and was being monitored constantly. There are very few that fall into this category.
Ardern went on to say that the attack was carried out by an individual, not a faith, and said that backlash against the Muslim community ‘would be wrong’.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has also addressed today’s attack. He tweeted, ‘Our thoughts are with all those affected by the incident in New Lynn. Please stay safe and look out for one another. Police will provide more information as soon as it is available.’
Despite the attack, the country’s security level will reportedly remain at medium level, meaning a ‘terrorist attack is assessed as feasible and could well occur’, as per the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.
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Topics: News, Auckland, ISIS, Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand, Now, Stabbing, Terrorism, World News
