WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A gunman killed two people before dying at a construction site in Auckland, New Zealand on Thursday as the country prepared to host matches for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, authorities said.
According to the police, there were also several injuries in the incident, which happened near the hotel where Team Norway stayed.
Acting Police Commissioner Sunny Patel said the man began shooting at the location on lower Queen Street around 7:20 a.m. Police stormed the area and blocked roads.
Patel said the man walked through the building and shot people inside.
“As the man reached the upper floors of the building, he became entangled in the elevator shaft and our staff attempted to contact him,” Patel said in a statement. “More shots were fired from the man and a short time later he was found dead.”
It was not immediately clear whether the police had shot the gunman or if he had killed himself.
Patel said that while the incident was alarming, it was isolated and posed no risk to national security.
The incident happened when many football teams gathered in New Zealand for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The opening match is scheduled for Thursday between New Zealand and Norway.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins canceled a planned trip to the city of Hamilton and prepared to brief the media on the situation.
Maren Mjelde, captain of the Norwegian team, said people were quickly woken up when a helicopter started hovering in front of the hotel window.
“We felt safe the whole time,” she said in a statement. “FIFA has a good security system in the hotel and we have our own security officer in the squad. Everyone seems calm and we’re getting ready for tonight’s game as usual.”