New Zealand PM confirms three dead in Auckland shooting, no change to threat level
A gunman killed two people at a construction site in Auckland on Thursday, hours before New Zealand's largest city hosts the opening game of the Fifa Women's World Cup soccer tournament, authorities said. The shooter was also dead.
Police said six other people, including at least one officer, were injured during the shooting, which took place near hotels where the Norwegian national side and other soccer teams have been staying.
Central Auckland was put into lockdown after a shooting. Several streets in the centre of New Zealand's largest city were cordoned off as an injured police officer was taken to hospital, with emergency personnel and a police helicopter remaining at the scene.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the tournament would go ahead as planned.
A senior New Zealand Police official said the man began shooting at the site on Lower Queen Street at about 7:20 a.m. Police swarmed the area.
Outside, armed police officers had the commercial business district on heavy lockdown with streets cordoned off surrounding the tourist harbour ferry terminal area.
Police demanded bystanders disperse and ordered those already inside their office buildings to shelter in place.
The opening match of the World Cup between New Zealand and Norway is scheduled for Thursday evening.
'Everybody was panicked', say witnesses of Auckland shooting
Witnesses told of the moment a shooter opened fire in Auckland on Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring others, hours ahead of the opening match of the women's soccer World Cup in the city.
They said there was chaos as people ran as gunfire was heard. Others were told to stay inside.
"We were right at the entrance and I saw like 20 people rushing out of the building and telling the pedestrians to move away and I was like what happened? And I go ask them and they say, they say like 'We saw a guy with a shotgun in his hand and he was aiming for people," an unidentified witness said.
Ambulances and police cars were seen near the scene of the shooting as several streets were cordoned off. All ferry services into Auckland have been cancelled while buses running through some areas of the city will be detoured.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the soccer tournament would proceed as planned, adding the shooting appeared to be the actions of an individual and that police were not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.
Sports Minister Grant Robertson said he had spoken to Fifa President Gianni Infantino and confirmed the match between New Zealand and Norway would kick off as scheduled at 1900 local.
AP and Reuters
