U.S. condemns New Zealand mosque attack as 'vicious act of hate'
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the “horrible massacre” at two mosques in New Zealand on Friday, a deadly attack that killed 49 people in what the White House called a “vicious act of hate.”
The massacre during Friday prayers wounded more than 40 others in the country’s worst-ever mass shooting, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern condemned as terrorism.
“My warmest sympathy and best wishes goes out to the people of New Zealand after the horrible massacre in the Mosques. 49 innocent people have so senselessly died, with so many more seriously injured. The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do,” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.
Earlier, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the United States strongly condemned the attack.
“The United States strongly condemns the attack in Christchurch. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with the people of New Zealand and their government against this vicious act of hate,” Sanders said.
Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe
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