A minute’s silence will be held later this morning as Ireland kick off their World Cup Campaign against Australia following a mass shooting in Auckland.
Three people including the shooter died at a construction site.
The Girls in Green will kick off their campaign at 11am Irish time with Donegal stars Amber Barrett and Ciara Grant in the panel.
The Prime Minister of New Zealand has expressed shock and sorrow over the mass shooting.
Multiple people were injured in the incident that took place just hours before the city hosts the opening match of the Women’s World Cup.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the gunman died at the scene and there was no national security threat, so the marquee tournament, which is being co-hosted with Australia, would go ahead as planned.
The unnamed 24-year-old shooter tore through the waterfront property with a shotgun in the early morning, plunging the busy centre of New Zealand’s largest city into lockdown.
A police officer was said to be among those seriously injured and rushed to hospital. His condition was said to be stable.
Little is known about the motive of the attack, but it is not believed to be directly linked to the World Cup or to have been politically or ideologically motivated.
However the gunman was known to police and said to have had a history of family violence and mental health issues.
Police said he had been subject to a home detention order but had an exemption to work at the site. He did not have a license to own a firearm.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said there was “nothing to suggest he presented a higher-level risk”.
