Two people and an armed attacker were killed and five others injured in a shooting in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, on Thursday, hours before the opening match of the women's football World Cup in the city.

 

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EDITED BY| HUXIANA

 

Asia  section -  CJ journalist

 

Wellington – July,20,2023

 

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Prime minister Chris Hipkins said the tournament would go ahead as planned, adding that the shooting appeared to have been carried out by one person and police were not looking for anyone else.

“There was no specific political or ideological motive for the shooting, so there was no danger to national security,”Hopkins said during a televised briefing.

Police Commissioner Andrew Koster said one policeman was injured in the shooting, as well as four members of the public.

Koster told a news conference that the gunman had not been formally identified, but was believed to be a 24-year-old who was working at a construction site where the shooting took place.

The gunman opened fire at the construction site as he was climbing to the upper floors, locking himself inside the elevator shaft and firing more shots before being found dead a short time later.

He was ordered to remain under house arrest at home, except for work on the site.

Koster said the gunman had a history of domestic violence.

Auckland welcomed thousands of international players and tourists who came to attend the ninth edition of the women's football World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Gun violence is rare in New Zealand, which tightened its gun laws after a gunman killed 51 worshippers at two Christchurch mosques in 2019, in the country's worst random shooting incident.

 

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