The 24-year-old man with mental health problems who opened fire also died. The reassurances of the organizers. Strengthen security measures around the stadium
Two people and the gunman who opened fire were killed in the shooting at a construction site in Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand, where the Women’s World Cup kicks off today. Several people injured. “The man who fired the shots is also deceased,” police said in a statement, adding that the incident did not pose a risk to national security.
The shooting in one of the busy streets of the city center occurred just hours before the opening match of the ninth edition of the World Cup at Eden Park in Auckland. The US national team, who are currently in Auckland, said in a statement that all of their players and staff have been traced and are safe.
isolated case
—
Police Superintendent Sunny Patel said officers responded in “significant” numbers to the shooting and cordoned off the area, including using a helicopter. Local media showed footage of an injured officer being helped into an ambulance. “What has transpired is understandably alarming and we are reassuring the public that the incident has been contained and that this is an isolated case,” Patel said. “We can also say that it is not a national security risk,” she added. Mass shootings are rare in New Zealand, and gun laws were introduced after the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre, in which 51 Muslim worshipers were killed and 40 others injured.
24 years
—
The man who opened fire, 24, was in home detention but had an exception to work at the site, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said speaking to media after the shooting. “The individual is known for his history of domestic violence,” Coster said, adding that he believed there were “indications of a history of mental health” in the attacker, but that there was no evidence he was at high risk of lethality and that his past offenses did not suggest he posed any threat. Fifa promptly reassured the smooth running of the event: “We are in constant contact with the police, the national teams staying near the site of the shooting have been contacted and we are ready to provide them with any type of support they may need”. For the opening match between the hosts and Norway this morning, security measures around the stadium have been reinforced.
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED