New Zealand mosque attacker was likely acting alone

New Zealand's worst mass shooting in modern history appears to be the act of a lone gunman who attacked worshippers at two mosques out of racial hatred.

The toll from Friday's massacre in the South Island city of Christchurch has risen to 50 after another victim was located at one of the crime scenes, police said on Sunday. One person has been charged with murder while three other people apprehended with firearms are not believed to be involved, they said . "At this point, only one person has been charged in relation to these attacks," Commissioner Mike Bush told reporters. "I will not be saying anything conclusive until we are absolutely convinced as to how many people were involved. Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, appeared in the Christchurch district court on Saturday charged with one count of murder.

New Zealand is reeling from what PM Jacinda Ardern has described as a well-planned terrorist attack. Fifty people were injured and Christchurch hospital is still treating 36, of whom 12 are in a critical condition. A young child also remains critical.

Police recovered two semi-automatic weapons, two shotguns and a lever-action firearm after the attacks. Tarrant had a category-A gun licence which meant he could legally buy the weapons he used, although there are suggestions the guns were altered to make them more lethal, Ardern told reporters. She indicated she will move quickly to tighten gun laws, saying a ban on semi-automatic weapons is one possibility that will be discussed by ministers this week. Gun shops reported increased sales of firearms around the country on Saturday, including semi-automatics, ammunition and magazines, as people rushed to acquire them before the government acts, according to the Newsroom website. Tarrant didn't appear on any government security watch-list, nor did he have a criminal record in New Zealand. Ardern has asked officials to review whether his actions on social media should have brought him to the attention of intelligence agencies.