New Zealand Shooting LIVE: Six Feared Dead After Attack on Mosque, Police Say Gunman Still Active

The city is currently on lockdown, with authorities advising residents to stay inside. Christchurch City Council tweeted that it was locking down a "number of central city buildings, including the Civic Offices and Central Library." 

Addressing a media conference in New Plymouth today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the events in Christchurch as this one of New Zealand's darkest days

Around 300 people were reportedly inside the mosque for Friday prayers. New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush said in a Facebook video there had been "multiple fatalities, as far as we know, at two locations." He named the two locations as mosques in Christchurch, but added he didn't know if there were other areas under threat. "We are dealing with a very serious and tragic series of events," he said. "They involve an active shooter, they involve multiple fatalities." Bush said they had one person in custody but didn't know if there were other people involved.

"We understand that there will be many anxious people but I can assure New Zealanders that Police is doing all it can to resolve this incident," police said in a statement. "We urge New Zealanders to stay vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour immediately to 111. We are mobilising resources nationally and support is being brought into the District," it read. According to CNN, one person has been taken into custody.

There are reports of a third active shooting unfolding outside Christchurch Hospital. The Guardian is reporting police as saying there is a bomb on Strickland Street in Christchurch. "The bomb is located inside a beige Subaru that has crashed on Strickland Street, about 3km from the Al Noor Mosque where the shooting took place," the Guardian reported.

A body has been seen lying near Al Noor Mosque in central Christchurch and a second gunman has been seen near Linwood Masjid mosque. One of the gunmen is believed to be an Australian who has written a 37-page manifesto declaring his intentions, reports local media. In it, he says "it is a terrorist attack."

Injured people are still being rushed to Christchurch Hospital. One injured person was just helped out of a police car. There is a large police presence at the hospital with many armed officers. The public should not attend Christchurch Hospital unless it's an emergency, Canterbury DHb spokeswoman was quoted as saying by local media.

Several Bangladeshi cricket team players took to Twitter to confirm the team's safety and their "close escape" from active shooters. A cricket match was scheduled between Bangladesh and New Zealand tomorrow.

Entire team got saved from active shooters!!! Frightening experience and please keep us in your prayers #christchurchMosqueAttack

— Tamim Iqbal Khan (@TamimOfficial28) March 15, 2019

Alhamdulillah Allah save us today while shooting in Christchurch in the mosque...we r extremely lucky...never want to see this things happen again....pray for us

— Mushfiqur Rahim (@mushfiqur15) March 15, 2019

Just escaped active shooters!!! Heartbeats pumping badly and panic everywhere!! #ChristchurchMosque

— Shrinivas (@chinu1501) March 15, 2019

Sports writer at the New Zealand Herald in Auckland has reported that there is a bomb in a car on Strickland St. A Christchurch Star reporter saw a dead body lying close at Palazzo Lane near Al Noor Mosque. The body has been covered with clothing. A witness has seen a child lying in the middle of Deans Ave and another man has told the Herald his relative was shot inside the mosque.

The gunmen were reportedly live streaming the video while shooting people in Christchurch mosques, where several people had arrived for morning prayer on Juma. Netizens have shared the video on social media. However, we would not be sharing it due to the sensitive content. The men can be seen opening fire at people sitting on the floor of the mosque.

A Bangladeshi journalist Mohammad Islam, in a tweet reported that the entire Bangladesh cricket team were among those who escaped from the mosque near Hagley park, where the shooting took place."Bangladesh team escaped from a mosque near Hagley Park where there were active shooters. They ran back through Hagley Park back to the Oval," he wrote. 

Bangladesh team escaped from a mosque near Hagley Park where there were active shooters. They ran back through Hagley Park back to the Oval. pic.twitter.com/VtkqSrljjV

— Mohammad Isam (@Isam84) March 15, 2019

A teen witness told New Zealand Herald that the gunshots sounded like "pop".  "I just ran as fast as I could, over the fence to Hagley Park, I didn't stop. The gunshots sounded like pop, pop, pop...I heard over 50," he was quoted as saying. Gunmen have opened fire at mosques in Christchurch, with dozens feared killed and police urging residents to stay indoors.

Man in Black Entered Mosque: Witness | Police have not described the scale of the Friday shooting but urged people in central Christchurch to stay indoors. Witness Len Peneha says he saw a man dressed in black enter the Masjid Al Noor mosque and then heard dozens of shots, followed by people running from the mosque in terror.

Shooting in New Zealand Mosque | Armed police in New Zealand swarmed central Christchurch Friday amid reports of a shooting at a mosque in the South Island city. "Police are currently responding to reports of shots fired in central Christchurch," the police said in a statement.