Death toll rises to 50 in New Zealand mosque attacks

The death toll from New Zealand mosque attacks has risen to 50. New Zealand's Police Commissioner Mike Bush told reporters that the number of injured people had also risen to 50, with two of them in a critical condition.

Wellington: New Zealand's Police Commissioner Mike Bush said on Sunday that the death toll from the mosque attacks has risen to 50.

Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old white supremacist, appeared in court on Sunday on one murder charge, accused in the mass shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

The judge said "it was reasonable to assume" more such charges would follow.

Speaking from a news conference in Wellington, Bush told reporters that the number of injured people had also risen to 50, with two of them in a critical condition.

Bush said since Saturday's court appearance Tarrant has been remanded to the 5th of April to appear in the High Court.

Bush also said a list of victims' names have been shared with their families but added that "this is not a formal list."

He said police would be unable to share exact details of victims until they had been formally identified.

"That part of the investigation and response is continuing as quickly but as professionally as possible," he said.