A terrorist close to Daesh stabbed six people in a supermarket in Auckland, New Zealand, before police shot him down, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday.
He allegedly got the knife from inside the store and attacked several people, before being quickly neutralized. Among those injured, three are in critical condition.
“What happened today was despicable, it was detestable, it was bad,” said Jacinda Ardern, describing the attack as “terrorist”.
The perpetrator of the attack was under surveillance
The New Zealand leader described the assailant as a Sri Lankan national who arrived in New Zealand in 2011. According to the NZ Herald, he was identified by the security services as a radicalized individual close to Daesh.
The local police chief confirmed that the assailant was under close surveillance. “I know this situation raises questions as to whether the police could have done more. The reality is that when you watch someone around the clock, it is not possible to be immediately next to them, ”he said.