Image via Shock Mansion
Social media outlets remove copies of a live stream video of the shooting
The day after the Christchurch Mosque attack, a video of a live-stream of his attack spread online. The video is believed to be a Facebook live-stream by the suspected shooter, identified as 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant. Youtube has since removed the video. Additionally, Facebook says it has deleted more than 1.5 million copies of the video. Approximately 1.2 million of those were blocked while in the process of being uploaded.
Other social media sites, including Twitter, have been chasing down and removing copies of the video. Some reports indicate that clips and reposts of the video were being shared at a rate of one per second on Youtube.
Video graphically depicts the attack
The original video shows a gunman entering his car, driving to a mosque, and opening fire on people inside. The video Appears to be filmed on a camera mounted on his chest. The video begins with the man saying, “Let’s get this party started.”
Armed with a number of assault rifles, two jerry cans, and a large bag, the gunman stops the car at the mosque, walks into the building and opens fire. At one point, he shoots randomly into the street before returning to his car and repeating the process.
Among the names written on the shooter’s firearms is Luca Traini. Traini is an Italian man who sentenced to 12 years in prison after shooting six African migrants in a drive-by shooting in February last year
Political implications of the attack
The suspected shooter uploaded a lengthy manifesto. The manifesto praised U.S. President Donald Trump as a “symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.” In response, acting White House Chief of Staff told Fox News, “The President is not a white supremacist.”
In response to the Christchurch attack, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern announced the government has agreed to gun law reforms. Among the suggested changes is a tightening of gun ownership.
Is live-streaming a new trend in violent incidents? Just two years ago a woman livestreamed a video of police fatally shooting her boyfriend.
