Brenton Tarrant
Brenton Tarrant has been named as a suspect behind the attacks that killed nearly 50 people at two New Zealand mosques on Friday.
Tarrant broadcasted live footage on Facebook of the attack on one of the mosques. The 28-year-old Australian live-streamed the attack in Christchurch on Facebook as he shot victims.
Forty-nine people died after he opened fire inside Masjid Al Noor mosque and Linwood Masjid Mosque a few miles away while prayers were in session.
He is currently in custody. Here is what we know about him so far.
#1 He was a gym trainer
After graduating school in 2009, Brenton was hired as a trainer at Big River Gym in the northern New South Wales city of Grafton. He worked there until 2011.
#2 He worked with kids
According to former boss, Gym manager Tracey Gray, he worked in a program that offered free training to kids in the community. According to Gray, he was very passionate about that.
#3 He “changed” after traveling
In 2011 Tarrant quit his job to go traveling overseas in Asia and in Europe. According to Tracey Gray, he did not strike her as someone who had an interest in firearms. “I think something must have changed in him during the years he spent travelling overseas” –she said.
Tarrant is known to have visited Europe, South-East Asia and East Asia. His travels also took him to North Korea, where he was photographed in a tour group visiting the Samjiyon Grand Monument.
#4 He published a 74-page manifesto before the rampage
Tarrant is believed to have written a 74-page manifesto titled The Great Replacement –in which he describes, his motives and how he had been preparing for the attack since his trip to Europe at least two years ago.
#5 He made money from Bitconnect
Tarrant said he worked for a short time before making some money from Bitconnect, a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, then used the money to fund his travels.
#6 His father died of cancer
The Australian native lost his father, Rodney Tarrant Rodney around the time he was finishing high school. According to local newspaper the Daily Examiner Rodney died of cancer at the age of 49 in April 2010.
#7 He was inspired by terrorist Anders Breivik
He wrote the disturbing manifesto after he was inspired by Anders Breivik – the far-right terrorist who killed 69 kids of a Workers’ Youth League on the island of Utøya in Norway in 2011.
#8 He planned the attacks for years
In the same manifesto, he revealed he planned the attacks for two years — and picked New Zealand to show “that nowhere in the world was safe”
#9 He described anti-immigrant motives
In a 74-page manifesto, written by Tarrant, he describes anti-immigrant motives, saying the victims were a “large group of invaders” who he says “seek to occupy my people’s lands and ethnically replace my own people. He also declared that he wishes he’d “killed more invaders and traitors”
#10 His Facebook profile has been deleted
The graphic footage of the attack and manifesto were published on the Facebook account of Brenton Tarrant. His profile has since been removed.
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