Christchurch Mosque Attacks: 50 Dead

Friday is the Muslim holy day, a day of worship at mosques.

The naming of Christchurch, New Zealand, the capital city of the Canterbury region, occurred in 1848, when the founders who had attended Christ Church College in Oxford, named it after their Alma Mater.

At around 1:40 pm, attacks at two mosques, perhaps more, have left fifty people deceased and another fifty injured, on Friday, March 15, 2019, in Christchurch, New Zealand. (The death toll was updated to 50 when another body was found on March 16, 2019.)

First reports were that four individuals had been arrested, one woman and three men. But only one person was tied to the actual shooting. One male has been identified as an Australian Caucasian.

This Christchurch shooter self-identified himself as "Brenton Tarrant." He posted this photo of himself. (He was charged with murder on March 16, 2019.

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Brenton is an English place name and surname. The surname Brenton indicates that one's ancestors came from a place called Brenton near Exminster, England, the original meaning of which was "Bryni's homestead." Bryni was an Old English given name based on the word bryne, "flame."

Tarrant is a Welsh name meaning "thunder."

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After going back outside and shooting a woman there, he gets back in his car, where the song 'Fire' by the English rock band The Crazy World of Arthur Brown can be heard blasting. The singer bellows, 'I am the god of hellfire!' and the gunman drives away. Source.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that at least one of the individuals taken into custody is an Australian born citizen. He called the shooting as being at the hands of a "extremist right wing, violent terrorist," at a press conference Friday.

The attacks appear to have unfolded at the Al Door Mosque, Deans Avenue, next to Hagley Park, and at the Linwood Mosque in the suburban location of Linwood.  One shooter live-streamed his attack on social media, gruesomely displaying how he entered the mosque and shot innocents. New Zealand Police have requested this video be taken down from any social media site.

In a social media post just before the attack, an account that is believed to belong to one of the attackers posted a link to an 87-page manifesto that was filled with anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim ideas and explanations for an attack. The manifesto was not signed.

The shooter's weapons were marked with white supremacist symbols and the names of historical figures who fought against the Ottoman Empire, the Islamic superpower of its day.

Besides automatic weapons employed, multiple improvised explosive devices were attached to vehicles as part of the attack.

All schools, for a time being, and all mosques were closed. Christchurch experienced a massive lockdown. A worldwide alert went out, and mosques in many locations - New York City, Los Angeles, London, Minneapolis and other cities - were closed or security forces were sent to guard them.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, "This is one of New Zealand's darkest days."

Journalist Chris Lynch, a radio host on New Zealand station ZB Radio, told CNN that one of the shootings had occurred at "the biggest mosque in all of Christchurch."

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After a period of relatively quiet, as far as mass violence, it will be noted that on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, Brazil experienced a mass shooting at the state school in Suzano, near São Paulo, when students were on a snack break. Two school employees, five adolescent students, and the two former students all died. One owner of a nearby car rental shop was also killed. One of the gunmen was his nephew and they stole a car from him before the school shooting.

Albuquerque Shootings Kill Five

The bullet-ridden bodies of three adults and two children were found inside an Albuquerque, New Mexico, home late Saturday, January 19, 2013.

A teenage boy faces murder and other charges in the shooting deaths on the outskirts of Albuquerque.

Investigators were still combing over the home on the southwestern edge of the city where investigators found the victims Saturday night, said Deputy Aaron Williamson, a spokesman for the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department. It was unclear whether the teenager now in custody is related to the victims, nor would Williamson disclose whether the victims -- who included two boys and a girl -- were related.

Williamson said each victim had been shot multiple times. Several guns were found inside the home, including a "military-style" rifle he said had been used in the crime.

The teen is being charged with two counts of murder and three counts of child abuse resulting in death, the sheriff's department said. He was arrested after being questioned at the sheriff's office and is likely to be arraigned on Tuesday, Williamson said.

Officials began offering their condolences for Greg Griego, a spiritual leader known for his work with firefighters and the 13 years he spent as a volunteer chaplain at the county jail.

"Chaplin Griego was a dedicated professional that passionately served his fellow man and the firefighters of this community," Fire Chief James Breen said in a statement. "His calming spirit and gentle nature will be greatly missed."

Jail Chief Ramon Rustin said Griego was instrumental in the creation of the Metropolitan Detention Center's chaplain program and worked to get inmates integrated back into the community.

Griego also was a former member of the pastoral staff at Calvary, a Christian church in Albuquerque. As part of his work there, he oversaw the Straight Street program for jail inmates.

The other victims' names and the suspect's identity have not been released Sunday afternoon.

A semi-automatic assault-type rifle, along with several other weapons, were recovered at the scene.

Thanks to Theo Paijmans for initial news tip.