Christchurch

New Zealand officials admitted on Aug. 14 that they made a mistake by allowing the man accused of killing 51 people at two Christchurch mosques to send a hand-written letter from his prison cell.

New Zealand announced plans for a national firearms register on July 22 in its second round of gun law reforms following the Christchurch mosque attacks which killed 51 Muslim worshippers.

New Zealand police have charged the man accused of murder in shootings at two Christchurch mosques in March with engaging in a terrorist act, the first time such a charge had been brought in the country's history, they said on May 21.

A New Zealand judge on April 5 ordered that the man accused of killing 50 people at two Christchurch mosques undergo two mental health assessments to determine if he's fit to stand trial.

Smelling of fresh paint, the two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch where a gunman killed 50 worshippers last week reopened their doors on March 23, with many survivors among the first to walk in and pray for those who died.

The Muslim call to prayer sounded out over Christchurch and around New Zealand on March 22, as thousands gathered to remember the 50 people killed by a lone gunman at two mosques a week ago.

New Zealand on March 22 reassured Muslims living in the country they would be "safe and secure" despite the deadly attacks on two mosques in Christchurch.

New Zealand imposed a ban on assault weapons on March 21, moving swiftly following the Christchurch massacre and triggering renewed calls from leading American politicians for gun controls in the United States.

New Zealand police said they had detained four people in connection with the deadly shootings in the two mosques in Christchurch and had devastated several improvised explosive devices.
 
"Four are in custody, three men and one woman," said Commissioner Mike Bush, saying there are "many" victims.

An Australian extremist killed multiple Muslim worshippers during prayers on March 15, authorities said, in an apparently livestreamed attack that forced the New Zealand city of Christchurch into lockdown.