Thursday, 19th September 2024

Turkish man wounded in Christchurch shooting dies after 48 days

A Turkish man wounded in the Christchurch mosque shootings seven weeks ago have died in Christchurch Hospital, raising the death toll to 51

Friday, 3rd May 2019

A Turkish man wounded in the Christchurch mosque shootings seven weeks ago have died in Christchurch Hospital, raising the death toll to 51.

The 46-year-old had been in intensive care since being shot at the Al Noor mosque in March.

Brenton Tarrant, 28-year-old Australian, has been charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder for New Zealand's worst-ever mass shooting.

On Friday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the news of the Turkish man's death would be felt across both countries.

"This sad news will be felt across Turkey, as well as New Zealand," she said in a statement.

"This man has been in intensive care since the attack. We have all been hoping for the best. However, he has now succumbed to the injuries sustained in the shooting at the Al Noor Mosque.

"I want to acknowledge all the medical staff who have cared for the 49 men, women, and children who were shot and wounded in the attack and taken to hospital.

"This is only the second victim to die while in hospital - the first was unable to be resuscitated on arrival on March 15. This is a testament to the extraordinary work put in by the medical staff at Christchurch, Burwood and Starship Hospitals in the aftermath of the shooting to save lives."

Relations between Turkey and New Zealand have been strained since the March 15 attack after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showed clips from the gunman's live-streamed footage at his election campaign rallies to denounce hatred against Islam.

New Zealand authorities have banned the video, and anybody caught sharing it in New Zealand can face up to 14 years in prison.

Nine people shot in the attack remain in hospital, all in a stable condition.

In April, New Zealand's parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of legislation to ban semi-automatic and military-style weapons.

New Zealand's major media organisations also pledged not to promote white supremacist ideology while covering Tarrant's trial, saying they were aware that the suspect might try to use the trial as a platform to promote white supremacist or "terrorist" views.