6 injured in supermarket incident in New Zealand

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Friday that the violent attack that happened at a supermarket in Auckland was a “terrorist attack” carried out by an “extremist.” It took place at the Countdown supermarket at LynnMall in the district of New Lynn on Friday afternoon.

“A violent extremist undertook a terrorist attack on innocent New Zealanders at a New Lynn Countdown in Auckland,” Ardern told a press conference in Wellington. “This was a violent attack. It was senseless and I’m sorry it happened,” said the prime minister, adding that the police shot the offender within roughly a minute of the attack happening. The attacker reportedly took a large knife from a display cabinet in the store and went on a stabbing spree. Police surveillance teams had been close by the entire time. The attacker was shot dead by police at the scene after injuring multiple people at 2:40 p.m. local time at the Countdown supermarket in Auckland’s New Lynn. Ambulance service St Johns spokesperson said at least six people were injured, including three in critical condition. Three of the shoppers were taken to Auckland hospitals in critical condition, police said. Another was in serious condition, while two more were in moderate condition. The attacker is a Sri Lankan national who arrived in New Zealand in 2011 and has been closely monitored by the New Zealand police since 2016 for his Islamic State ideology, she said. The prime minister also assured the public that more information will be shared as soon as it is available.