New Zealand gunman kills two on World Cup opening day

New Zealand authorities confirmed that a shooting in Auckland on Thursday had no connection with the FIFA Women’s World Cup. A 24-year-old entered a construction site with a pump-action shotgun around 7 a.m., killing two people and injuring six. The shooter moved through the partially constructed building, exchanging shots with police until authorities found him dead in the elevator.

Are shootings like this common in New Zealand? Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern strengthened the country’s gun laws after a 2019 mosque shooting that killed 49 people. Current Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the shooting prompted “no wider national security threat.” Investigators said the suspect, Matu Tangi Matua Reid, previously worked at the construction site he attacked. World Cup attendees reported a heavier security presence after the shooting. FIFA also honored the victims with a moment of silence before the first game.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere and Lynde Langdon’s report on the aftermath of the 2019 shooting.