New Zealand ‘unified’ in reforming gun law

Cabinet agrees in principle to changes after 50 shot dead

New Zealand’s cabinet has backed changes to gun laws in the country just three days after 50 people were killed in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.

Police have also confirmed they believe “absolutely” that only one perpetrator was responsible for the attacks during Friday prayers.

Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, has been charged with murder and appeared at court on Saturday. He was remanded until April 5.

Yesterday, prime minister Jacinda Ardern said the cabinet had made “in principle” decisions about gun law reform, with further details to be announced by next Monday.

“This ultimately means that within 10 days of this horrific act of terrorism, we will have announced reforms which will, I believe, make our communities safer,” she said.

Ms Ardern said the cabinet was “absolutely unified”, and said the shootings had “exposed a range of weaknesses” in New Zealand’s gun laws.

She added that there would be an inquiry into the events leading up to the attacks.

It also emerged that the alleged perpetrator bought four weapons online from a gun store in Christchurch.

David Tipple, owner of Gun City, said the alleged gunman bought four “A category” firearms and ammunition through a “police-verified online mail order process”.

Mr Tipple told reporters: “I returned from Europe on Saturday and immediately searched all our purchase records and found the alleged gunman’s purchases. I provided the police with full details of the sales.

“We detected nothing extraordinary about this licence holder.”

He added: “The MSSA (military-style semi-automatic) reportedly used by the alleged gunman was not purchased from Gun City.”

Mr Tipple said he and his staff were “devastated” by the shootings, adding: “We can’t comprehend how such despicable actions could be carried out on those in prayer in their place of worship.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush said police were confident a lone attacker was responsible for the shootings.

“We believe absolutely there was only one attacker responsible for this,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean there weren’t possibly people in support and that is to form part of our investigation.”

Thirty-one people remain in Christchurch Hospital after the mass shootings, nine of them in intensive care.

A four-year-old girl is in a critical condition in Starship Hospital in Auckland, while her father is in the same hospital in a serious but stable condition

.A number of improvised explosive devices found on a vehicle after the shootings were defused by police.

Picture: Getty Images. Three women comfort each other during a student vigil near Al Noor mosque in Christchurch yesterday.