Christchurch mosque shootings: 4-year-old girl shot in attack described as 'beautiful, kind-hearted sweetheart'

KEY POINTS:
• 50 confirmed dead, victims range from 2 to older than 60
• Australian-born Dunedin resident Brenton Harrison Tarrant appeared in court yesterday charged with murder
• Two other people, a man and a woman, arrested soon after the shootings were not linked to the gunman
• The woman had been released without charge
• The man had been charged with firearms offences
• Of the 50 injured, 36 remain in Christchurch hospital
• Kiwis have already donated $4.3m for the victims' families>

The 4-year-old girl shot in the Christchurch mosque attacks and flown to hospital in Auckland has been described as a "beautiful, kind-hearted sweetheart".

Alin Alsati was shot up to three times in Friday's massacre, which took place at the Al Noor Mosque and another in Linwood, in which 49 people were killed.

Last night the pre-schooler, who turns 5 next month and should have been starting school, was still in critical care at Starship children's hospital with her mother Asma Daraghmeh at her bedside.

Her father, Jordanian barber Wasseim Alsati, was gunned down beside her as they worshipped at the Deans Ave mosque about 1.40pm.

Alsati, also known as Wasseim Sati, posted a video to Facebook from his hospital bed yesterday asking friends and family to "please pray for me and my daughter".

A friend of the family, who did not want to be named, told the Herald on Sunday Alin was the youngest of four children, three girls and one boy.

It's not known if the other children were also at the mosque but none is reported injured.

The friend said Alin was a "beautiful, sweet, kind-hearted, sweetheart with the most amazing eyes".

"We are all in shock, still, and I think we will always be because this doesn't happen in our city."

In his video, a barely audible Alsati said he was very tired but managed to thank everyone for their kind messages of support.

Shooting victim Wasseim Alsati with his daughters. Alin, left, is in critical condition.Photo / LaunchGood

"I will not be able to answer them. I am just posting this video to show you that I am fully okay. God bless you all."

A friend of Alsati, Carolyne Phillips, posted on his Facebook page yesterday that he had gone in for more surgery to "get shrapnel and bone out of his hip socket".

"He has already had surgery for a perforated bowel and an injury to his pelvis. I will let you all know when he's out of surgery."

Phillips said she had spoken to Daraghmeh, who was at Starship with the couple's injured daughter Alin, who was then in surgery.

Last night an Auckland District Health Board spokeswoman said police were handling patient status inquiries.

Alsati moved from Jordan's capital Amman to New Zealand in 2014 with his wife and family and worked at Revive Hairdressing.

In 2017 and 2018 he won the Ray Astwood Barbering Event and just three weeks ago he set up his own barbering business Wass' Barbers.

A former client and friend of Alsati's from Jordan, Fahad Drarjeh, said she woke to the news that her old friend and his daughter had been injured in the devastating attack.

The hotel manager based in the United States said she was shocked at the news people were being killed in a place of worship.

"And immediately I saw a post that had Wasseim's photo on it with his daughters. The post says to wish Wasseim and his daughter to recover from their injuries."

Drarjeh launched a fundraiser which had attracted donations totalling more than US$8800 ($12,855) in one day.

She was confident of reaching the US$10,000 goal and said the money was for food, rent and other necessities.

Drarjeh wrote that Alsati would not be able to work while he recovered.

"As his friends we should all support him not only spiritually but financially as well."

She called the attack "heartbreaking" and said innocent people died because of extreme hatred and ignorance.

"May God rest their souls in peace and our deepest condolences to their families."

Friends and former clients paid tribute to Alsati on Facebook calling him "lovely" and a "beautiful soul".

In December he posted on his Facebook page: "One of the major reasons that I have decided to live in New Zealand; They don't care who you are, they just treat you as a human being and you're allowed to be whatever you want".

On his Revive Hairdressing bio, Alsati said he loved barbering and hairdressing and his specialities were threading, texturing and fades, and beard trims.

He aimed to be teaching barbering skills internationally within the next decade.

Police have arrested and charged Australian Brenton Tarrant with one count of murder, with more charges expected.