Seven people were injured in the terror assault at an Auckland supermarket, according to New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, with three of them still in critical condition.
As per the New Zealand Herald's report, in total, five individuals are currently in the hospital, including the three persons who were critically injured. At the moment, two persons are recuperating at home.
Ardern provided new information about the assailant but said his name could not be divulged owing to a court order. She noted that before releasing more information, the court has given the family of a criminal a 24-hour window.
3 September 2021, 18:45 GMT
Citing Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, the outlet states that traveling by train from Glen Eden to the New Lynn Countdown was nothing out of the ordinary for the subject, a Sri Lankan national. He came to the supermarket around 2:20 pm local time and went about his routine shopping for about 10 minutes.
The commissioner reportedly noted that although the man had caught the attention of law enforcement bodies and was tracked by them prior to the attack, they "had no legal grounds to detain this subject." He also defended the action of the police officers who shot the terrorist shortly after the start of his murderous spree, praising their professionalism.
Coster reportedly emphasized that even though there have been many people who have attracted the interest of law enforcement, only a few of them have taken socially dangerous actions.
According to the new information, the shot criminal arrived in the country in October 2011, then a 22-year-old student.
In May 2017, he was apprehended at Auckland Airport, when it was thought he was on his way to Syria. After being detained on various accusations, the stabber was released on bail. And on the initial charges, he was sentenced to 12 months of probation in September 2018.
Last year, the man allegedly attacked a corrections officer and was also under investigation for buying a knife. In July last year, the attacker was assigned 12 months of supervision and a decision was made on the need for rehabilitation for the suspect.
In July of this year, the man was released into society and was reportedly under surveillance, but there were no serious legal justifications for an arrest.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other states.