Hours before the 2023 Women's World Cup opening ceremony in New Zealand’s Auckland, at least two individuals were killed by an armed assailant in a rare shooting incident in the country, news agency AFP reported. The incident took place at a construction site situated in the city’s downtown area. Five others, including a responding police officer, were injured in the incident. The gunman was found dead after a police shootout.
The shooting appeared to be the actions of a single person, and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the event. Following the horrific incident, Kiwi Prime Minister Chris Hipkins assured that the football competition would go on as scheduled.
"He (armed gunman) moved through the building site discharging the firearm as he went," described Hipkins during a press conference. "Upon reaching the upper levels of the building, the man contained himself in an elevator. Shots were fired, and he was located a short time later."
Minister Chris Hipkins also said, "There was no identified political or ideological motivation for the shooting and therefore no national security risk."
According to the New Zealand police commissionerate, a police officer and four civilians were also injured in the shooting with "moderate to critical injuries."
The gunman was serving a home detention sentence but had a work exemption for the construction site where the shooting took place.
"The individual is known for primarily family violence history. There is nothing to suggest that he has presented a higher-level risk than was indicated by that history," Costeradded.
There will be no change to New Zealand's security threat level although there will be an increased police presence in the city in concern of the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup. Numerous foreign athletes, teams and fans have arrived in Auckland for the ninth Women's World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
In a press statement, FIFA said “FIFA has been informed that this was an isolated incident that was not related to football operations and the opening match tonight at Eden Park will proceed as planned."