Gunmen have opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
According to reports, a shooter live streamed the horrific murder spree – with nine now confirmed dead.
NZ police have confirmed four people are now in custody – three men and one woman.
Shock footage has emerged – purportedly of the event.
Unconfirmed media reports had earlier identified a suspect as a 28-year-old Australian citizen. A lengthy manifesto allegedly written by the suspect has been posted on social media – if authentic, it would indicate an extremist political motive.
News.com.au has confirmed one of the gunmen live streamed the shooting on Facebook.
He can be seen walking through the front door and opening fire at random.
New Zealand journalist Blair Ensor claims he saw a man emerge from the mosque shouting “my wife is dead”. The death roll has now risen to 40.
New Zealand police are responding to the incidents and local TV are reporting multiple casualties.
The locations involved are said to be Al Noor Mosque on Deans Avenue near Hadley Park in the centre of the city and Masjid Mosque in the suburb of Linwood.
The incidents unfolded during Friday prayers, the busiest time of the week for worshippers.
Stuff.co.nz report the shooters’ rifles had the names Alexandre Bissonette and Luca Traini scrawled on them – both past mosque shooters from Italy and Canada.
7 News say dozens of shots were fired and there is a heavy police presence at Christchurch Hospital.
Another mosque goer was seen outside crying and saying “they shot kids”.
Stuff.co.nz claim a man said there were “bodies all over me”.
Police have ordered schools to go into lockdown and urged anyone in central Christchurch to stay indoors.
Members of the Bangladeshi cricket team were praying in the mosque when shooting broke out.
All are reported to have escaped to safety across Hagley Oval, per Yahoo Sport.
The shooter was described as blonde, Caucasian and of short build.
He was said to be wearing a helmet and a bullet proof flack vest.
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