No matter what part of the world you’re in, I’m sure you’ve heard of the horrific shooting that took place at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. On Friday, March 15th, 2019, a man committed a religious fueled terrorist attack against Muslims as they worshiped during afternoon prayer. The death toll from these malicious acts has risen to 50, with a few victims still in critical condition. Additionally, over 50 people were injured from gunshot wounds.

The police commissioner, Mike Bush, has confirmed that there was only one sole individual involved in the planning and execution of the shooting. However, they are still looking into individuals who could have supported or influenced the mass shooting.

The Prime Minister (PM), Jacinda Ardern, announced that families who lost their loved ones in this tragedy will have funeral expenses paid for by the government of up to $10,000 dollars, and since many families lost their central provider, the government is giving these families restitution until they get settled and back on their feet.

The PM says her cabinet is completely unified when it comes to passing sensible gun control legislation, and that within the next 10 days there will be laws passed. In the past, they have had issues passing any type of gun control, but this event has shocked not only New Zealand but the entire world.

Another aspect of this horrific attack is that the terrorist live-streamed the event on Facebook, and many social media platforms have also had the video reposted onto them. Facebook has already removed over 1 million copies of the video that were shared throughout its platform. The video is now illegal to be shared in New Zealand.

Following this terrible tragedy, New Zealand’s entire community is forever changed. This terrorist attack is on par with the death toll the U.S. experienced during 9/11, where some 2,996 people were killed. At the time, the US’ population was around 285 million, while in comparison New Zealand only has 4.79 million citizens and 50 people lost their lives on Friday.

If you would like to figure out a way to help them, check out this website.