The following is a list of events that have been called massacres that have occurred in New Zealand (numbers may be approximate). Massacres considered part of the campaigns of the New Zealand Wars are listed separately.
List
Name Date Location Deaths Method Notes 2023 Auckland shooting Downtown Britomart Terminal, Auckland Pump-action shotgun Shooter among dead Christchurch mosque shootings Christchurch, Canterbury Semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, lever-action rifle, bolt-action rifle 51 killed and 40 injured. Occurred at two mosques in Christchurch: Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre. Australian-born perpetrator Brenton Harrison Tarrant pleaded guilty to murder and engaging in a terrorist act, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Raurimu massacre Raurimu, King Country Firearm (sawn off single-barrelled shotgun) Also 4 wounded. Stephen Anderson found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. New Empire Hotel arson Hamilton Fire Alan Wayne Lory convicted of manslaughter. Bain family murders Dunedin Firearm (.22lr semi-auto) David Bain convicted, but acquitted in a re-trial. Ratima family murders Masterton Hammer, knife Raymond Wahia Ratima convicted of murder. Schlaepfer family murders Paerata, Auckland Region Shooter (Brian Schlaepfer) among dead. Aramoana massacre –14 Nov 1990 Aramoana, Otago Firearm (scoped semi-automatic rifle)"David Gray kills 13 at Aramoana, 13 September 1990," New Zealand History, 3 (unofficially 4) injuries. Shooter (David Gray) among dead. Bassett Road machine gun murders Auckland Noema Rika murders Ōtaki, Kāpiti Coast Shooter (Rika) among dead Featherston prisoner of war camp strike Featherston, Wairarapa 80 wounded 1941 Kowhitirangi shootings –20 Oct 1941 Kowhitirangi, West Coast Shooter (Stanley Graham) among dead Henare Hona murders [Family Murders plus policeman.] Morrinsville, Waikato Shooter (Hona) among dead Himatangi massacre Himatangi, Manawatu Unsolved shooting and arson, possibly murder/suicide Waikino schoolhouse shooting Waikino, near Waihi Firearm (.32-cal pistol), also armed with 3 sticks of gelignite (not used) Also 6 others wounded. Local farmer John Christopher Higgins sought revenge over alleged persecution Invercargill Tragedy [Baxter Family Murders] Invercargill Stove scraper, firearm Killer (James Reid Baxter) among dead Maungatapu murders Maungatapu, Tasman Three members of a gang led by Richard Burgess were hanged for the murders Finnigan family murders Otahuhu, Auckland Also spelt Finnegan in contemporary sources. James Stack was convicted and hanged in April 1866 Maketū Wharetōtara murders Kororareka, Northland Maketū Wharetōtara, also known as Wiremu Kīngi Maketū, became the first person officially executed in New Zealand (7 March 1842)"An early tragedy", Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 22 April 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2015.Oliver, S. "Maketu Wiremu Kingi", Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 30 October 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2015. Invasion of the Chatham Islands and Moriori genocide Chatham Islands Part of the Musket Wars The Moriori genocide was the systematic mass murder, ethnic cleansing, enslavement and cultural annihilation of the Moriori people, the indigenous ethnic group of the Chatham Islands (Rēkohu), by invaders from the mainland New Zealand iwi of Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Mutunga, from November 1835 for a disputed time onward. Siege of Pukerangiora Waitara River, Taranaki Part of the Musket Wars Boyd massacre Whangaroa Harbour, Northland Reprisal attacks following death of Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne to July 1772 Bay of Islands, Northland Death of Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne Bay of Islands, Northland
Massacres during the New Zealand Wars
The following is a list of events that have been called massacres that occurred as part of the New Zealand Wars (numbers may be approximate):
NameDateLocationDeathsNotesOpepe MassacreTaupo Part of Te Kooti's WarMohaka massacreMohaka, Hawke's Bay Part of Te Kooti's WarPukearuhe massacrePukearuhe, Taranaki Attack on Pukearuhe Redoubt by a Ngāti Maniapoto war partyNgatapa massacreNgatapa, Gisborne Part of Te Kooti's WarPoverty Bay massacrePoverty Bay, Gisborne Part of Te Kooti's WarRangiaowhia massacreRangiaowhia, Waikato Part of the Waikato WarGilfillan family killingsWanganui An act of utu (revenge) for the killing of a Māori chieftain during the Wanganui CampaignWairau AffrayTuamarina, Marlborough 8 wounded
References