A suspected terrorist who New Zealand law enforcement had under 24-hour surveillance was shot and killed by police in a Wellington suburb after he attacked six people with a knife Friday, the Associated Press reports.
The Sri Lankan national was known to have been influenced by videos and material from the Islamic State, according to national security agencies, who had been aware of his allegiances for months. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said advisors had told her about the man, but police had no legal justification to detain him.
Three of the people were hospitalized in critical condition; another was in serious condition. Two more were listed in moderate condition. New Zealand enacted strict weapons ownership laws, banning the ownership of assault-style rifles, after the Christchurch mosque massacre in 2019 that killed 51 people.
Police followed the unnamed suspect to a supermarket in the town of New Lynn, a trip the suspect had made many times previously. He entered the store and proceeded with his attack after obtaining a knife from somewhere in the store.
“He entered the store, as he had done before. He obtained a knife from within the store,” Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said. “Surveillance teams were as close as they possibly could be to monitor his activity.”