CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, March 15 -- New Zealand Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said on Friday after gunshots in Christchurch that "this is one of New Zealand's darkest days."
The prime minister spoke to the public at 4:00 p.m. local time. "It is an unprecedented violence in New Zealand. There is no place for such extreme violence in New Zealand," Ardern said.
"My thoughts are with Christchurch," she added.
Several shooting incidents happened in Christchurch on Friday afternoon including inside two mosques, resulting in at least nine people dead in "six different places."
It is reported that at least two gunmen opened fire at two separate mosques in Christchurch. Witnesses described that there are much blood and multiple deaths.
The prime minister said the situation was still evolving and she could not confirm the casualties at the moment
Chinese Consul General in Christchurch Wang Zhijian told Xinhua that emergence response has been activated. The Consulate General office is working with local police to check if there is any Chinese citizen being caught in the gunfire.
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