Christchurch mosque shooting – does New Zealand have the death penalty?
A man in his late 20s has been charged with murder, and three others have been arrested
A DEADLY shooting at two mosques in New Zealand left 50 people dead.
Police commissioner Mike Bush confirmed a man in his late 20s has been charged with murder. Does the country have the death penalty?
How did the Christchurch shooting unfold?
Brenton Tarrant, 28, from Australia, appeared to have live-streamed the terror attack in Christchurch and outlined his anti-immigrant motives in a manifesto posted online.
Officers responded to reports of shots fired in central Christchurch at about 1.40pm local time (12.40am GMT), and urged people in the area to stay indoors.
Mr Bush said a man in his 20s was charged with murder and is expected to appear in court on Saturday morning.
Three other people were apprehended.
Here's what we know so far:
- Brenton Tarrant opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, at 1.40pm local time on Friday
- 50 people have been killed - 42 at Masjid Al Noor Mosque, 7 at Linwood Masjid Mosque and 1 died at hospital
- Another 50 people were rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds and 36 are still in care receiving treatment
- Aussie-born Tarrant published a chilling 74-page manifesto before the rampage
- Cops arrested three men and a woman - initial reports of one wearing a suicide vest were incorrect
- A smirking Tarrant appeared charged with one murder. Authorities said more charges will follow
- Another man, 18, was charged with intent to excite hostility towards an ethic group
- The gunman owned a gun licence and used five modified firearms to carry out the massacre
latest on the new zealand shooting
Does New Zealand have the death penalty?
The last execution that took place in the country was on February 18, 1957.
The death penalty was abolished in 1961 after a vote on an amendment to the Crimes Act.
Capital punishment remained for treason until the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act in 1989.
According to Amnesty International, the most known executions take place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan, citing 2017 records.
Although the law around capital punishment in New Zealand will not change, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said "our gun laws will change" in the wake of the attack.