2023-07-19 21:04:00
A shooting in central Auckland left two people dead on Thursday, as well as the attacker, hours before the opening of the world Cup Feminine in this New Zealand city.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was shocked by the unusual event in the country, but assured that the tournament co-hosted with Australia will go ahead as planned.
“The authorities’ assessment is that there is no national security risk. There is no change in the level of threat to New Zealand’s national security,” Hipkins insisted.
“Aucklanders and viewers around the world can rest assured that the police have neutralized the threat and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident,” he added.
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“The government has spoken with FIFA organizers and the tournament will go on,” he said.
Several participating teams, including defending champions USA, are in Auckland, which will host the first game of the tournament between New Zealand and Norway that evening.
Police explained that the assailant entered a building in central Auckland, the country’s most populous city, where he killed two people and injured six others, including some police officers.
“The gunman moved through the building and continued to discharge his weapon,” said Acting Superintendent of Police Sunny Patel.
“As soon as he reached the top floor of the building, the man barricaded himself in the elevator shaft and our team tried to reach him,” he added.
“The man fired more shots and was found dead a short time later,” he concluded.
Security forces had been deployed in “significant” numbers to the site and cordoned off the area, police said, also sending a helicopter.
Local media showed footage of a police officer being transferred to an ambulance.
“What happened is understandably alarming and we are reassuring the public that this incident is under control and is an isolated incident,” said the superintendent.
‘We didn’t know what was going on’
The hotel of the Norwegian team, opponents of New Zealand in the opening game, was close to the scene of the shooting, but all the teams are unharmed and everything is “quiet in the squad”, said captain Maren Mjelde.
As he explained, the players were awakened by the sound of a helicopter and “a large number of emergency vehicles”.
“At first we didn’t know what was going on, but then reports emerged on television and in the local media,” he said in a statement.
“We felt safe the entire time,” he continued. “Everyone seems calm and we are preparing as normal for tonight’s game,” he added.
Team USA said in a statement that all players and staff are safe.
“Our security team is in communication with local authorities and we are continuing with our daily program,” they said.
The local football federation said it was “shocked by the incident” but confirmed that all of its players were “safe and sound”.
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