Christchurch mourns: Photos show graves prepared for victims while teacher hailed as 'hero'

Graves are being prepared for the victims of the Christchurch massacre as the identities of the 49 people who were killed in the attack continue to emerge.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says graves are being dug for the dozens of worshippers who were shot dead in two New Zealand mosques.

Mayor Dalziel says city officials on Saturday were working closely with the community on the specific requirements of a large number of Muslim funerals.

One of the victims who died trying to stop the gunman during Friday’s terror attack in Christchurch has been hailed a hero.

Naeem Rashid, a local teacher born in Pakistan, has been identified as the man who tried to tackle the gunman at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island.

Mr Rashid was shot and rushed to hospital. He could not be saved.

His 21-year-old son also died during the terror attack.

There is tension between police in Christchurch and the families of the victims in Friday’s attack.

According to Islamic custom it is imperative the dead be buried as soon as possible, usually within 24 to 48 hours of death.

But investigators want to carry out forensic examinations on the 49 people who died, which will not be a quick process.

Among the victims is a 14-year-old named as Sayyad Milne who was a student at Cashmere High School, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Sayyad’s father John told NZME his boy was a “brave little soldier” who had many health issues since birth.

“I remember him as my baby who I nearly lost when he was born,” he said.

“Such a struggle he’s had throughout all his life. He’s been unfairly treated but he’s risen above that and he’s very brave.”

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Earlier on Saturday, 71-year-old Afghan man Daoud Nabi was named as the first victim.

Mr Nabi’s heartbroken son spoke outside court as accused shooter Brenton Tarrant made his first appearance.

Omar Nabi said his father was “highly respected” in the community and was one of the founders of the local Islamic association in Christchurch.

A two-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl are among the youngest victims of Friday’s attack, with both recovering at hospitals in Christchurch and Auckland.

Greg Robertson, the surgeon leading the emergency response to the attack, said the young girl had been transferred to the Starship Hospital in Auckland in a critical condition.

The two-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy are both in stable conditions in Christchurch Hospital.

“Four patients died on their way into the hospital yesterday, dying before they arrived,” Mr Robertson told the media.

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