Christchurch terror attack: 5 things you need to know

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor Friday, March 15, 2019

1. 49 dead and 48 injured

Authorities say that 49 were killed in the attack and about 48 others, including children, were taken to a hospital to be treated for gunshot wounds.

According to Canterbury Police, 41 died at the Noor mosque, while seven were killed at the Linwood mosque. One other died at a hospital.

For the 48 receiving treatment, the injuries range from serious to minor, according to David Meates, chief executive of the Canterbury District Health Board.

As some victims will need multiple surgeries, the Christchurch Hospital was forced to put at least 12 operating theatres into use.

According to CNN, armed police were first deployed after receiving reports of the shooting around 1:40 p.m. One witness says that the gunmen were “continuously shooting” for about 10 to 15 minutes.

"It's a big mosque and there were more than 200 people inside. The gunmen came from the backside,” witness Mohan Ibn Ibrahim was quoted as saying. “Gunshots went on for a long time. We had to jump the wall to escape. I saw lots of broken glass and bricks on the backside of the mosque.”