49 killed in mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques as gunman live streams slaughter

Forty-nine people have been killed and dozens are wounded after two mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand with one of the attacks live-streamed on Facebook.

At least one gunman opened fire on worshippers in Christchurch with the city centre being placed on lockdown following the massacre on Friday.

Forty-eight other people are being treated for gunshot wounds including children, officials said. Police have charged a man with murder. Two other men and a woman remain in custody. 

Police said they were aware of social media footage appearing to show a gunman live-streaming as he entered one of the mosques and opening fire.

A man who claimed responsibility for the shootings published a 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto in which he explained who he was and his reasoning for his actions.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that one of the four people taken into custody in New Zealand's mosque shootings is an Australian.

Police have confirmed that 49 people have died in today’s shooting. 48 people are being treated for gunshot wounds with 20 of them believed to be seriously injured.

Ms Ardern was asked about the attackers not being on intelligence agency watch-lists and said it was an indication they "had not acted in a way that warranted it".

She was asked if she had any information from Australia about whether they had been on watch-lists there and said: "My understanding at this stage is that they weren't on watch-lists."

Asked about the ages of victims, she said: "I will have been amongst other members of the public who will have seen the footage as the injured were being brought to Christchurch A&E and you certainly can see from that footage there is a real range of ages there.

"I imagine that these would have represented particular brothers, fathers, sons."

Prime Minister Ms Ardern alluded to anti-immigrant sentiment as the possible motive, saying that while many people affected by the shootings may be migrants or refugees "they have chosen to make New Zealand their home, and it is their home. They are us. The person who has perpetuated this violence against us is not."

Police said they had responded to reports of shots fired at about 1.40pm local time.

Commissioner Bush asked "anyone that was thinking of going to a mosque anywhere in New Zealand today not to go."

"Close your doors until you hear from us again."

All schools in the city were put into lockdown as the situation unfolded.

Officers said that armed police were deployed after receiving reports of shots being fired.

Witness Mohan Ibrahim said he was one of 200 people in the Masjid Al Noor mosque on Deans Avenue when he heard shots fired.

He told the New Zealand Herald: "At first we thought it was an electric shock but then all these people started running."