Scroll down for a recap of 1 NEWS' live updates as a man was shot dead by police after he carried out a terrorist attack, stabbing six people at a New Lynn supermarket in West Auckland on Friday afternoon.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- One person has been shot dead by police after injuring multiple people at Countdown in LynnMall, Auckland.
- Six people - three of whom are in a critical condition - have since been transported to Auckland City, Waitākere and Middlemore Hospitals.
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the man was an "extremist" who carried out a "terrorist attack" inspired by IS.
LIVE UPDATES
9.50pm: This concludes 1 NEWS' live updates for the evening. Scroll down for a recap of how the tragic event unfolded.
9.05pm: The terrorist attack is being reported on by news agencies around the globe.
The New York Times and the BBC both have it featured on their main pages, as well as The Guardian.
8.25: The Muslim Association of Canterbury have now set up a Givealittle page for those affected by today’s attack, saying “It is our moral obligation to stand with our fellow New Zealanders who stood by us in our time of need.”
8.18pm: Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has described the actions of the terrorist as "despicable and horrifying".
“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families,” adding "they were chosen at random by the terrorist and had done nothing to deserve the attack," he said in a statement on Friday.
“We condemn unreservedly the hate-filled ideology that consumed the terrorist but hold him solely responsible for his actions. We condemn the individual - not a faith, culture or ethnicity.
“As a former Minister of Justice, I know that the number of people who are under 24-hour Police watch is tiny. Our law does not allow people to be imprisoned for their views, or even for planning to take an action. However, Parliament will want to closely scrutinize the law to see if change is needed to cover the situation where the police are so worried about an individual that it justifies the effort and expense of around-the-clock surveillance."
8.01pm: Anyone with photos or video of today’s incident has been urged by police to submit it to their investigation.
An online portal has been set up and can be accessed here.
7.56pm: Coster said police are "now compiling witness information and collecting CCTV footage" while an extensive scene examination is carried out.
Investigations into the circumstances behind the event will be carried out by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) and the Coroner.
"Police will continue to have a high presence in the area and will be conducting a number of reassurance patrols over the coming period," he said.
7.53pm: Police Commissioner Andrew Coster praised officers for their actions following their quick apprehension of the man.
"Our police staff acted quickly and with great courage to stop this man and prevent any further harm to members of the public," he said in a statement.
"I want to acknowledge this quick response and the bravery of the police staff who responded.
"I also want to acknowledge all the people who offered assistance at the scene.
"Our thoughts are with the victims of today’s attack, their families and those who were caught up in this horrific event."
7.49pm: Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon wished those who were injured in the attack "a speedy recovery and healing to those traumatised".
"Our thoughts are with them. I condemn any act of terrorism and am thankful for the police and emergency services who responded in this case. It is important to remain calm in the aftermath," Foon said on Facebook.
7.33pm: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a tweet that Australia "condemns the horrific terrorist attack in Auckland".
"Our thoughts are with all those affected. We stand with our Kiwi family in deploring all such violent acts designed to create fear and divide us. Kia kaha New Zealand."
7.28pm: A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office said the Crown "is seeking the court's urgent lifting of the suppression orders, which will be filed this evening".
6.57pm: All Countdown stores throughout the country will open at 10am tomorrow in light of today's events.
"We are devastated by this violent attack in our LynnMall store today. Our hearts are heavy knowing what our team and customers have witnessed and been through," Countdown general manager of safety, Kiri Hannifin, said.
"Our thoughts are with those who were injured and their families, and we will be supporting all of our LynnMall team in particular.
"This event today, particularly so soon after the incident at Dunedin Central, is very distressing. Our whole team will be deeply affected by what has happened, and we want them to have a chance to talk and to get the support they need."
The priority hour for emergency services, MIQ and medical workers will now start from Sunday, September 5.
6.50pm: Meanwhile, National leader Judith Collins issued a reminder on Twitter that the "ISIS inspired terrorist is no more representative of Muslim Kiwis than the Australian white supremacist who murdered people in The Christchurch mosque attacks".
6.46pm: Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni expressed her sympathy for those affected by today's attack.
"My heart goes out to all impacted by the West Auckland Lynn Mall terrorist attack today. Absolutely horrific," she said in a tweet.
Sepuloni also included a list of helplines for those who may need it.
6.38pm: 1 NEWS' coverage of today's incident can be found in the video below.
Six people have been hospitalised with stab wounds.
6.32pm: According to the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service's 2020 report , "betwen 30 and 50 individuals" were under active investigation by the NZSIS "in relation to violent extremism at any one time".
The report notes that the figure "is higher than recent years, although more fluid and broad, largely as a consequence of investigations related to Politically-Motivated Violent Extremism, including white identity extremism".
It adds that faith-motivated violent extremism "continues to appeal to a minority of individuals in New Zealand".
"Over the last year we observed individuals in New Zealand with probable intent and almost certainly the capability to engage in acts of Politically-Motivated Violent Extremism and Faith-Motivated Violent Extremism," it read.
"Terrorist violence is most likely to come from lone actors, including those who may mobilise to violence rapidly with little or no warning."
6.28pm: Muslim Association of Canterbury Imam Gamal Fouda condemned the attack, saying that they "are broken hearted but we are not broken again".
"In a time that required all New Zealanders to be kind and strong, we are horrified and grieved by the terror attack at Lynn Mall today," he said.
"All terrorists are the same regardless of their ideology whether it is white nationalism or ISIS they stand for hate and we all stand for peace and love..
"This terrorist is not from us and we are one against terror... We pray for the recovery of the injured, and for the safety of our country."
6.25pm: The Green Party has sent "our thoughts and aroha to the victims and their whānau as they deal with this shocking terror attack".
"This is a time now to support our communities and guard against the kind of hate and prejudice that inspired this attack," co-leader Marama Davidson said in a statement.
Co-leader James Shaw said we "must ensure this hate is not turned towards our migrant communities of colour, and particularly our Muslim communities who have already suffered so much" following the attack.
"We stand with everyone today, stand for love and inclusion in our communities across Aotearoa, and we thank the Police and bystanders for acting quickly in such a terrifying situation."
6.14pm: Armed police remain on the Glen Eden street where the man lived. A mosque on the street is connected to the incident, 1 NEWS understands.
6.09pm: ACT leader David Seymour has extended his sympathies on behalf of the party following the attack.
"This kind of ideologically motivated violence has no place in our country," he said.
"The ACT Party agrees with the Prime Minister that the individual alone is responsible. We stand with Kiwis of Sri Lankan origin.
"We give our admiration to the members of the public who came to the aid of the victims and the New Zealand Police whose quick actions may well have prevented an even more severe tragedy."
6.01pm: Ardern thanked those who attempted to aid the wounded in the aftermath of the attack.
"To everyone who was there and who witnessed such a horrific event, I can't imagine how they'll be feeling in the aftermath but thank you for coming to the aid of those who needed you when they needed you."
5.52pm: She said the terror alert "will remain at medium". She said she could not comment on the possibility of retaliation.
Jacinda Ardern said the man, originally from Sri Lanka, came to national security attention in 2016.
5.47pm: "Of all of the tools that we have, constant monitoring and surveillance is one of the - outside of someone being in prison - is one of the strongest that we have and that was what was attached to this individual," Ardern said.
5.45pm: The Prime Minister said it would be "purely speculative to say whether or not any difference in our law - or indeed, any of the law changes we're pursuing now - would have made a difference in this case".
5.43pm: He was known by multiple agencies and Ardern was "personally aware of him".
5.42pm: She said there will be “multiple inquiries” into the incident going forward.
5.39pm: Ardern said there had been nothing to suggest he was going to carry out the attack when it unfolded.
5.35pm: "What happened today was despicable. It was hateful. It was wrong," Ardern said.
"It was carried out by an individual - not a faith, not a culture, not an ethnicity - but an individual who person who was gripped by ideology that is not supported here, by anyone or any community."
5.33pm: The man used a knife obtained from the store to attack shoppers, before approaching two undercover officers, Coster said. He was then fatally shot.
5.29pm: He was shot and killed " within, I am told, the space of roughly 60 seconds of the attack starting, Ardern said.
She said the attack was "IS-inspired".
The man was a known threat to New Zealand, the PM says.
5.26pm: Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the individual behind the attack was under heavy surviellance over "concerns about his ideology".
He travelled from Glen Eden to New Lynn, where he was closely watched by surveillance teams and tactical teams.
Ardern said the man, a Sri Lankan national, arrived in New Zealand in October 2011. He became a person of interest from 2016.
5.19pm: Jacinda Ardern called the incident a "terrorist attack" carried out by an "extremist".
"A violent extremist undertook a terrorist attack on innocent New Zealanders at a New Lynn Countdown in Auckland," she said.
"This was a violent attack. It was senseless and I am so sorry it happened."
5.03pm: Road closures remain in place around the new Lynn Mall area following the incident, Auckland Transport says.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible as cordons are likely to be in place for sometime.
5.01pm: "Our thoughts are with all those affected by the incident in New Lynn," Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said on Twitter.
"Please stay safe and look out for one another. Police will provide more information as soon as it is available."
4.46pm: A witness told 1 NEWS he saw an elderly man lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds, before hearing several gunshots not long after a pair of undercover police entered the supermarket.
Jim Taoirangi was about to enter the supermarket when he saw a woman walk out with a stab wound to her shoulder.
"There was chaos," he said.
4.37pm: Local MP Deborah Russell said she understands a serious incident has occurred at LynnMall this afternoon.
"I'm very sorry for everyone involved, including the customers and staff who witnessed this. As the situation is still unfolding, police will provide further information as soon as it is available. Stay safe everyone."
4.32pm: A woman who was waiting to get the all-clear after receiving her Covid-19 vaccine at a nearby pharmacy has described to 1 NEWS the scenes of chaos as it unfolded.
"We heard the gunshots and then people in the pharmacy shut down everything and then we only went to the rooms," she said.
4.21pm: In a statement, Countdown general manager safety, Kiri Hannifin, told 1 NEWS they are "devastated by what’s taken place in our Lynnmall store today".
"Once again, our hearts are heavy knowing what our team and customers have witnessed and been through. Our thoughts are with those who were injured and their families, and we will be supporting all of our Lynnmall team," she said.
"Over the last few weeks especially, Kiwis have shown our team such gratitude and kindness and we are particularly devastated that something like this has happened again in one of our stores. It’s difficult to comprehend and the events of today leave our whole team in deep shock.
"We will cooperate with the police in any way we can to understand what’s happened... Countdown Lynnmall will be closed until further notice."
4.11pm: LynnMall said in a statement on its Facebook page that they had been "advised that at an incident has occurred at Countdown LynnMall this afternoon".
"The matter is now in the hands of the police and we’ll continue to provide them with our full assistance. LynnMall is now closed and we will update once we know more," the statement reads.
4.03pm: Three patients in a critical condition and one patient in a serious condition have been transported to Auckland City Hospital; one patient in a moderate condition has been taken to Waitākere Hospital; and one patient in a moderate condition has been taken to Middlemore Hospital.
That makes a total of six people injured in the incident so far, not including the man who was shot dead by police.
3.55pm: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is currently being briefed on the situation.
3.50pm: Auckland City Hospital have no information yet as to how many patients they're getting.
They say they're just preparing their team right now for "whatever outcome".
Full story below:
Ambulances and police are on the scene at LynnMall.
A St John spokesperson told 1 NEWS five ambulances and three rapid response units were called to the scene at 2.40pm.
Five people were transported to Auckland City Hospital following the incident.
Three patients in a critical condition and one patient in a serious condition have been transported to Auckland City Hospital, one patient in a moderate condition has been taken to Waitākere Hospital, and one patient in a moderate condition has been taken to Middlemore Hospital.
A person posted video of people rushing out the mall near the Countdown, while witnesses have reported screaming in the supermarket and people with stab wounds.
Witness Jim Taoirangi told 1 NEWS he saw at least two people on the ground with stab wounds, and heard gun shots shortly after.
One man told 1 NEWS he was alerted to the incident after receiving a phone call from his wife, who works inside the Countdown.
"At the time she rang it was all panic, so just a matter of telling her to calm down and all that… And then she turned around and said there was a lot of police around that carpark," he said.
He said she didn’t see anything but described scenes of chaos, and hearing loud bangs.
"It was chaos - absolute chaos. So many bangings, like food was down, cans was dropping on the floor, so much noise. All she said to me was someone got stabbed, but I don’t know the full story."
He says she managed to get out safely, but is understandably quite shaken.
"I think everyone’s in shock at the moment."
Police say they have located the alleged offender and he has been shot. He has died at the scene.
SHARE ME