A total of 51 people were killed after a gunman opened fire on worshippers in two mosques at Christchurch, New Zealand on March 2019.

The gunman, 29-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole on Aug. 27, 2020, reported Reuters.

This is the first time such a sentence has been given in New Zealand.

The country had abolished the death penalty for murder in 1961, though capital punishment could still be meted out for treason up till 1989, when the law was amended.

Pleaded guilty

According to BBC, Tarrant pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one charge of terrorism.

At the sentencing, Reuters reported that High Court Judge Cameron Mander said to him:

"Your crimes, however, are so wicked that even if you are detained until you die it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment and denunciation.

As far as I can discern, you are empty of any empathy for your victims."

Tarrant had said, through a lawyer, that he did not oppose the sentence, 9news reported.

The sentencing hearing lasted four days.

More than 60 victim impact statements were heard in court, including one by the wife of a victim who flew from Singapore to New Zealand to give her statement.

The shootings

On March 15, 2019, Tarrant livestreamed his shootings at An-Nur (Al Noor) and Linwood mosques on Facebook via a head-mounted camera he was wearing.

He had spent months planning the attack, reported Australian media 9News.

He bought military-style ballistic armour and tactical vests, which he wore over military-style camouflage clothing.

Tarrant had also planned to attack another mosque after leaving Linwood but was arrested on the way.

Related stories

Totally unrelated but follow and listen to our podcast here:

Top images from Facebook.