Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who livestreamed his massacre of 51 people at two New Zealand mosques, was sentenced to life in prison without parole Thursday, The Washington Post reported.
It is the first time in New Zealand’s history that this sentence has been handed down, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Tarrant, 29, showed little emotion as Judge Cameron Mander handed down the sentence, ending a four-day hearing in which survivors of the shooting and their relatives confronted the gunman. The sentence was the most severe since New Zealand abolished the death penalty for murder in 1961, the Post reported.
“From what I can gauge, you are empty of any empathy for your victims,” Mander told Tarrant. “You remain entirely self-absorbed, you have offered no apology or acknowledgment of the harm you caused. Your focus appears to be on yourself and the position you find yourself in.”
Mander asked Tarrant if he wanted to address the court.
“No. Thank you,” Tarrant said.
Tarrant was armed with semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles when he attacked Muslim worshippers on March 15, 2019. Tarrant shot worshipers at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Center in Christchurch.
Earlier this year, Tarrant pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of committing a terrorist act, the Herald reported.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the “strength” of the Muslim community whose members spoke in court during the four-day hearing.
“Nothing will take the pain away but I hope you felt the arms of New Zealand around you throughout this process,” Ardern said.
During the hearing, victims confronted Tarrant, labeling him a “monster,” a “loser” and “the devil,” the Post reported.
Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah, who fought off Tarrant with a credit card machine and chased him from the Linwood Islamic Center, told Tarrant on Wednesday that he “should thank God on that day that I didn’t catch you. This government would save a lot of money.”
Cox Media Group
