The man injured six people before being brought down
Venkat Raman
Auckland, September 3, 2021
In what is still a developing story with just basic information available, we are able to report that a terrorist ‘with extreme violent ideology’ was shot dead by the Police at the Lynn Mall in New Lynn, West Auckland this afternoon.
It is understood that the man, a Sri Lankan, ‘was inspired by the ISIS Islamic terrorist group.’
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Police Commissioner Andrew Coster gave details of the man ‘whose name is under suppression by a Court.’
Under Surveillance since 2016
“The terrorist has been under Police Surveillance since 2016. We are tyring to get legal clearance to provide more details. We would like everything to be in the public domain when that becomes possible. I can assure you that he would have been in prison if that was possible,” she said.
The terrorist arrived in New Zealand in 2011 but his immigration status is not known.
Ms Ardern said that she would release more information about the man when possible.
Commissioner Coster said that the Police had kept a close watch on him round-the-clock.
“We have been actively watching him since 2016. We could not near him so as not to raise his suspicion. But since he was apprehended less than 60 seconds after he became violent in the shopping mall will be indicative of how close we were to him.
According to reports, six persons were injured in the incident.
RNZ reported the following:
St John said three patients in a critical condition and one patient in a serious condition have been taken to Auckland City Hospital; one patient is in a moderate condition has been taken to Waitakere hospital; and one patient in a moderate condition has been taken to Middlemore Hospital.
More to come
