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Two kin of Christchurch victims die after killings: officials
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, March 23, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A grief-stricken
mother who had travelled to New Zealand after her son was gunned down in the
Christchurch mosque massacre passed away overnight, officials said Saturday.
The woman, whose name was not available, was one of two relatives of
shooting victims to die this week as the city’s close-knit Muslim community
reels from the killings of 50 people by an Australian white supremacist more
than a week ago.
Hafiz Junaid, an imam from the city of Auckland in northern New Zealand,
told AFP that the mother of one of the victims came from Jordan following the
tragedy.
Junaid said the woman was deeply distraught by her son’s loss.
“Last night she went to bed and she did not wake up. She passed away,”
Junaid said.
A police spokesman confirmed to AFP that one relative died from “a medical
event”, and that another also had died, but offered no further details in
either case.
The attack also left dozens wounded, some in critical condition, but the
police spokesman confirmed that the death toll from the attacks remained at
50.
The larger of the two mosques attacked by the gunman let in small groups of
worshippers for brief visits on Saturday for the first time since the
tragedy, shortly after police handed the houses of worship back to the local
Muslim community.
Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder in the attack.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1251 hrs