Police Commissioner O'Neill's Statement Regarding the New Zealand Attacks

March 15, 2019

Our hearts go out to the victims of this senseless, cowardly terror attack in New Zealand. The New York City Police Department is providing all the assistance we possibly can to our friends and colleagues in and around the city of Christchurch, and we will continue to work closely with all of our state, federal, and international law enforcement partners. To the Muslim community here in New York: We stand with you always, and we will remain vigilant in keeping you safe — and making sure you feel safe, too. The people we serve, in every neighborhood, must always be free from fear and have the immutable right to worship and live in peace. The NYPD sees no New York City connection to the tragedy in New Zealand at this time, but we nevertheless stand prepared to protect the people in all of our communities. We are connecting with area mosques and Muslim community leaders, and increasing patrols and high-visibility counterterrorism presence at locations around the city. Together, New Yorkers will never allow terrorists – who thrive on violence and fear – to threaten our people or our values.