Police shot and killed a man on Friday afternoon after he entered a West Auckland supermarket and stabbed at least six people, all of whom are currently in hospital.

According to officials, the suspected terrorist was a Sri Lankan national who arrived in New Zealand in 2011 and was designated as a person of national security interest in 2016.

Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, stated on Friday that a terrorist attacked six people in an Auckland supermarket before being shot dead by police.

Ardern added that the attacker had been a "person of interest" for nearly five years and was dead within 60 seconds of starting his assault in Auckland.

New Zealand shooting: man shot dead by police after ‘terrorist attack’ in Auckland that injured six https://t.co/VtIiQ9cKgL pic.twitter.com/cU3mBAeMpA

— Guardian news (@guardiannews) September 3, 2021

When asked if the Friday assault was retaliation for the 2019 mosque shootings, Ardern replied it was unclear. She stated that it was only one individual who was responsible for the violence, not a faith.

Six individuals were hospitalized in Auckland, three of them are said to be in critical condition. There were at least ten police cars and ambulances on site.

'Extremist' inspired by Islamic State stabs several people in Auckland mall, shot dead by police https://t.co/o65sGtJELw pic.twitter.com/Fd0LODBWcF

— CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) September 3, 2021

Videos circulating on social media showed terrified customers fleeing the mall.

Exclusive;
New Zealand; it is now reported that six people have been stabbed in the New Lynn supermarket in Auckland (ages 25 - 65 years), three are in serious condition as the Suspect had been shot & killed by the Police. pic.twitter.com/HTvRjTDoih

— @KassMedefer (@KMedefer) September 3, 2021

It is noteworthy that New Zealand has been on high alert, since a gunman massacred 51 people in two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019.