Tournament will proceed as planned
The tournament will proceed as planned, says Hipkins.
There is no national security threat. “This appears to be the actions of one individual.”
The incident comes as many football teams were gathering in New Zealand for the Women’s World Cup. The opening match is scheduled for Thursday between New Zealand and Norway.
“Aucklanders and those watching around the world can be assured that the police have neutralised the threat and that they are not seeking anybody else in relation to the incident,” Hipkins said.
“New Zealanders’ safety and the safety of our visitors is our first priorities.”
Key events
This map shows where the shooting occurred. It is a seven minute walk from the Cloud, where the FIFA Fan Festival – a place where people can watch match broadcasts together – is due to take place.
Opening of FIFA Fan Festival delayed
Stuff.NZ reports that the organisers of the FIFA Fan Festival are waiting for further advice from the police before deciding when to open. The Fan Festival was meant to have opened a few minutes ago, at midday. There will be an update at 2pm, the organisers said.
“All seems calm, and we are preparing as normal for the match tonight,” Norway captain Maren Mjelde told Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang while the police operation was underway.
Norway plays New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament at Eden Park in Auckland later on Thursday.
A construction worker who was at the building when the shootings occurred has spoken to the New Zealand Herald.
He said that he hid on one floor of the building before moving towards the top of thr tower. Then a fire alarm sounded, and workers started to walk down the building’s stairs.
“An armed man in a dark jacket came up and shouted for them to get up to the roof or he would shoot them,” the Herald reports.
The man said he was shaken, and that he had heard multiple gunshots being fired.
The US Soccer team have released a new statement saying:
US Soccer extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims who were killed in the shooting in downtown Auckland today.
We are saddened by the inexcusable loss of life to gun violence, and our thoughts are with the people of Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has spoken about the shooting, Stuff.NZ reports, saying, “While the details of the victims have not yet been confirmed, I want to express my condolences to their families. I also want express sympathy for those in the construction industry and commuters who will be feeling on edge following this incident.”
Football Australia’s head of marketing, Peter Filopoulos, has said on Twitter that Australia stands with New Zealand.
“Deeply saddened by the shocking incident in Auckland. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families in these difficult times. As a peace-loving nation, we stand with New Zealand in solidarity. The situation seems to be contained now, thanks to NZ authorities. This incident is unrelated to the Women’s World Cup. Stay safe everyone,” he said.
Deeply saddened by the shocking incident in Auckland. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families in these difficult times. As a peace-loving nation, we stand with New Zealand in solidarity. The situation seems to be contained now, thanks to NZ authorities.…
— Peter Filopoulos (@peterfilopoulos) July 19, 2023
The US Embassy has confirmed that Douglas Emhoff, the husband of US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is leading the presidential delegation to New Zealand to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup, is safe.
Former NZ international player Maia Jackson told the NZ Herald she was nearby when the shooting happened.
“It’s pretty scary actually. So they pushed us to the back of the crowd where we are and we’re just trying to keep sane,” she said.
“There’s lots of security and lots of uncertainty.”
Here are some pictures following the shooting this morning:
New Zealand Football said it was “shocked by the incident” and that New Zealand’s women’s team, the Football Ferns “are safe”.
New Zealand Football are shocked by the incident in Auckland CBD this morning. We can confirm that all of the Football Ferns team and staff are safe but we will not be able to comment further while details are still emerging. [1/2]
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 19, 2023
Acting Police Superintendent Sunny Patel has given a little more detail about how the shooting occurred, the New Zealand Herald reports.
“The offender has moved through the building site and continued to discharge his firearm. Upon reaching the upper levels of the building, the male has contained himself within the elevator shaft and our staff have attempted to engage with him,” Patel said.
“Further shots were fired from the male and he was located deceased a short time later.”
Auckland Central MP Chloë Swarbrick says, “Deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones and to those who experienced this terrifying incident this morning on the construction site.
”Our gratitude to our frontline emergency workers who with great skill and care worked to contain the situation and keep the public informed. We will continue to be guided by their expertise.”
New Zealand Nationals leader Christopher Luxon says, “We will know more as the day unfolds – but for now we must do what Kiwis do best: come together and support people who have been affected in this terrible incident.”
Like all Kiwis, I’ve been following the serious situation that unfolded in downtown Auckland this morning.
My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those killed and injured, and all who have been affected by this tragedy.
I want to acknowledge the bravery of Police…
— Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) July 19, 2023
Norway team captain ‘We felt safe the whole time’
Norway is due to play tonight against New Zealand at the world cup opener. As we’ve just heard, the team’s hotel is located fairly close to where the shooting occurred.
The team’s captain, Maren Mjelde, says, “Everyone probably woke up quite quickly when the helicopter hovered outside the hotel window and a large number of emergency vehicles arrived.”
“At first we didn’t know what was going on, but eventually there were updates on TV and the local media.
“We felt safe the whole time. FIFA has a good security system at the hotel, and we have our own security officer in the squad.
”Everyone seems calm and we are preparing as normal for the game tonight. Then we may have to adapt if there are any instructions from the authorities.”
Norway Women’s Football Team Head of Communications Halvor Lea has said in a statement that, “Team Norway lives 3-400 m from the incident, and is not affected. Everything is calm in the Norwegian squad, which is eating breakfast right now. Preparations are going as normal.”