Mourners pay tribute to victims of New Zealand shootings

A steady stream of mourners paid tribute Sunday at a makeshift memorial to the 50 people slain by a gunman at two mosques in Christchurch, while dozens of Muslims stood by to bury the dead when authorities finally release the victims' bodies.

Hundreds of flowers were piled up amid candles, balloons and notes of grief and love outside the Al Noor mosque. As a light rain fell, people clutched each other and wept quietly.

"We wish we knew your name to write upon your heart. We wish we knew your favourite song, what makes you smile, what makes you cry," read one of the tributes, which contained cut-out paper hearts under a nearby tree.

"We made a heart for you. 50 hearts for 50 lives."
"As soon as people die, we must bury them as soon as possible," Hakim said. "We are all here to help them in washing the body, putting them in the grave."