A violent extremist reportedly attempted to carry out a terrorist attack at the LynnMall Shopping Centre in the New Lynn suburb of Auckland, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Friday morning.
The attacker was a Sri Lankan national known to New Zealand authorities, multiple agencies and Ardern herself, and was reportedly inspired by ISIS and supported the terrorist organization. However, he is believed to have been a "lone wolf" terrorist acting alone.
The terrorist was shot and killed by police within 60 seconds of the attack starting.
"It was hateful, it was wrong. It was carried out by an individual, not a faith," Ardern said of the perpetrator, who stabbed multiple people in the shopping center. "He alone carries the responsibility for these acts."
The perpetrator's identity has not been released to the press. However, Ardern confirmed at a press conference that he had arrived in the country in 2011 and has been a person of national security interest 2016, though the reasons why were subject to court suppression orders over legal proceedings. However, when asked why someone on a terrorist watchlist was allowed into the community, Ardren explained that he was heavily monitored because legally, they couldn't imprison him, NewsHub reported.
A video posted on social media showed shoppers in the New Lynn supermarket shortly after the attacker struck.
"There's someone here with a knife ... he's got a knife," a woman can heard saying. "Somebody got stabbed."
A guard asked people to leave the shopping mall shortly before about six shots rang out.
#BREAKING - enhanced video of New Zealand police officer entering a Countdown supermarket in LynnMall Auckland, and shooting an ISIS inspired attacker who stabbed 6 people today#NewZealand #terrorattack pic.twitter.com/8ZqjYva0tn
— ✨Sk Boz✨ (@skkboz) September 3, 2021
Witnesses told reporters outside the mall they had seen several people lying on the floor with stab wounds. Other said they heard gunshots as they ran out of the supermarket.
Videos posted online earlier showed panicked shoppers running out of the mall and looking for cover.
A total of six people were injured during the attack, three of whom are in critical condition, one in serious condition and another two in moderate condition, according to local CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand, citing emergency services.
"The matter is now in the hands of the police and we'll continue to provide them with our full assistance," the shopping center wrote on Facebook. "LynnMall is now closed and we will update once we know more."
Taking to Twitter, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff wrote that his thoughts are with the victims.
" Please stay safe and look out for one another," he tweeted. "Police will provide more information as soon as it is available."
Our thoughts are with all those affected by the incident in New Lynn. Please stay safe and look out for one another. Police will provide more information as soon as it is available.
— Phil Goff (@phil_goff) September 3, 2021
Ardern said that the security level in the country will remain at medium level.
New Zealand has been on alert for attacks since a white supremacist gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in the city of Christchurch on March 15, 2019.
In May, four people were stabbed in a supermarket in Dunedin on New Zealand's South Island.
This is a developing story.