Breaking News Emails
Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
By Phil Helsel
New Zealand police said that all Christchurch schools were in lockdown because of “a serious ongoing firearms incident” that media reports suggested was near a mosque.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush said in a statement that “a serious and evolving situation is occurring in Christchurch with an active shooter.” Police did not say where the shooting occurred.
Bush also recommended that residents across the city remain off the streets and indoors.
“Police are responding with its full capability to manage the situation, but the risk environment remains extremely high,” Bush said in the statement.
New Zealand police said on Twitter that armed police have been deployed.
Police said in a statement that officers responded to reports of shots fired in central Christchurch around 1:40 p.m. Friday local time (8:40 p.m. Thursday ET).
Media reported that shots had been fired near a mosque, and a witness told broadcaster One News that he had seen three people on the ground, bleeding outside the building, Reuters reported.
“Horrified to hear of Christchurch mosque shootings. There is never a justification for that sort of hatred,” Amy Adams, a member of parliament from Christchurch, tweeted.
Christchurch City Council said in a statement that all council buildings were in complete lockdown, with no one allowed in or out.