Christchurch: Tearful rugby star Sonny Bill Williams said he hoped the victims of the Christchurch mosque massacre were in "paradise" in an emotional video tribute on Friday.
The devout Muslim, wearing a skull cap, wiped away tears several times in the brief footage which he filmed sitting in a car.
Police reported multiple deaths in attacks on two crowded mosques during Friday prayers in Christchurch, where Williams played for the Crusaders earlier in his career.
"Just heard the news. I couldn´t put it into words how I´m feeling right now," the World Cup-winning All Blacks centre said in the video posted on Twitter.
"Inshallah (God willing) everyone who´s been killed today... you guys are all in paradise," he added.
"Just deeply, deeply saddened that this would happen in New Zealand."