- After the stabbing incident in a shop in Auckland, the New Zealand supermarket temporarily removed the knives from the shelves.
- Three of the six victims are in critical condition.
- The police shot and killed the attacker.
New Zealand supermarket group Countdown said on Saturday that it had removed knives and scissors from the shelves. The day before, a man called an Islamic extremist by the authorities stabbed 6 people in a store of the company.
Kiri Hannifin, Countdown’s general manager of safety, said: “Last night, we decided to temporarily remove all knives and scissors from the shelves and consider whether we should continue to sell them.”
She said in a media statement: “We want all our teams to feel safe at work, especially considering yesterday’s events.”
According to local media reports, other supermarket chains have also removed sharp knives.
The police shot and killed the attacker, a Sri Lankan national, who could not be named due to a court injunction. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the man was inspired by the Islamic State militant group and has been under police surveillance.
When he entered the Countdown supermarket in Auckland’s New Lynn shopping mall, the police were following the man. They said they thought he had gone in to buy something, but he took a knife from the display rack and started to stab people.
Police said they shot him within a minute after the attack began. Three of the six victims are in critical condition.
Ardern said the attacker has been under surveillance since 2016 because he supports a violent ideology inspired by the Islamic State. According to the law, this person cannot be kept in prison, so he has been under surveillance.
The government has sought to urgently lift the restraining order so that more detailed information about this person can be disclosed. Ardern is expected to speak to the media at 0200 GMT.
