Anonymous ID: 72d668 March 17, 2019, 2:12 p.m. No.5739142   🗄️.is 🔗kun

Christchurch mosque massacre: Police respond to response time criticism

 

New Zealand Police have been forced to defend their handling of Friday’s terror attack after criticism that it took them too long to respond.

Accused mass killer Brenton Tarrant sent a vile manifesto to email addresses belonging to prominent New Zealanders, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, in the minutes before his murderous rampage left 50 people dead.

In a statement, New Zealand Police shut down any notion they did not respond swiftly enough, revealing it took the first officers just six minutes to arrive on scene after the first distressing phone call was received.

“There has been some speculation around the police response times to the first attack on Deans Ave on Friday,” a spokesman wrote.

“To clarify, police received its first 111 call at 1.41pm. The first armed police unit was on scene at 1.47pm. That’s six minutes to respond.”

He said Tarrant was arrested within 36 minutes.

“I am very proud of the police response to this terrible attack.”

 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is seeking advice on any possible deportation of the man accused of the Christchurch mosque shootings.

Tarrant, 28, is Australian and had been living in Dunedin until his alleged killing spree at two mosques on Friday.

Ms Ardern was asked by reporters whether Tarrant was likely to be deported to Australia.

“I don’t want to go too far down that track while we’re obviously in early stages. Charges have been laid, we can expect additional charges, he’ll be appearing in the High Court on the 5th of April, so there’s obviously a process that needs to be gone through here.

“But I can say I am seeking advice on what will happen thereafter.”

Ms Ardern earlier said there was no place in New Zealand for perpetrators of such acts of “extreme and unprecedented violence”.

Asked whether Ms Ardern was referring to deportation before a sentence was served or after, a spokesman said she was looking at the issue in its entirety and getting advice on all options.

Tarrant did not require a visa to enter New Zealand because as an Australian he was able to enter the country and live there without one.

Immigration New Zealand, which said it could not comment specifically on Tarrant, said Australians were subject to the same deportation liability as any other visitor.

 

Relatives of the accused are devastated their own family member could be responsible for a massacre.

 

Brenton Tarrant’s grandmother, Marie Fitzgerald, said the family was gobsmacked he’d been charged with murdering Muslims at mosques in Christchurch.

“It’s just so much of everything to take in that somebody in our family would do anything like this,” the 81-year-old told Nine News in the NSW city of Grafton on Sunday.

“The media is saying he has planned it for a long time so he is obviously not of sound mind.” Tarrant reportedly travelled to Europe after his father died of cancer in 2010 and came back a different man, Mrs Fitzgerald said.

“It’s only since he travelled overseas I think, that that boy has changed completely to the boy we knew,” she said.

His uncle, Terry Fitzgerald, apologised on behalf of the family for his nephew’s alleged murderous act.

“We are so sorry for the families over there, for the dead and the injured,” Terry Fitzgerald said.

“What he has done is just not right.” Tarrant spent most of his time on computer games during his high school days rather than chasing girls, his grandmother added.

The family had dinner with Tarrant 12 months ago for his sister’s birthday in Grafton.

His sister and mother have been placed under police protection after Friday’s attack.

 

https://www.news.com.au/world/pacific/new-zealand-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-seeks-advice-on-deportation-options-for-accused-brenton-tarrant/news-story/3e0c76c98ad556e8dd33ee42a55fed42

Anonymous ID: 72d668 March 17, 2019, 2:29 p.m. No.5739351   🗄️.is 🔗kun

Melania Trump to Convene Interagency Group on Youth Programs

 

Melania Trump is hosting a White House meeting this week to discuss youth programs at various government departments and agencies.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump is hosting a White House meeting this week to review youth programs at various government departments and agencies.

 

The first lady's office says she will lead Monday's discussion at a meeting of the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs. The goal is to build upon and improve youth programs that align with her "Be Best" initiative, which focuses on the well-being of children, their safety online and avoiding drugs.

 

The working group was established under President George W. Bush.

 

Major participating agencies include the departments of State, Defense, Justice, Interior, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education.

 

The Environmental Protection Agency, National Endowment for the Arts, National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Agency for International Development are among other participating agencies.

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-03-17/melania-trump-to-convene-interagency-group-on-youth-programs