The man behind the massacre at two New Zealand mosques that left 49 people dead hoped to spark “a civil war in the U.S.” according to a manifesto he posted online.

According to the Daily Mail, the gunman, identified on Twitter as Brenton Tarrant, stated in the 74-page document that he chose to use a gun over other methods “for the affect (sic) it would have on social discourse, the extra media coverage they would provide, and the affect (sic) it could have on the politics of the United States.”

Tarrant hoped to create enough political pressure to encourage political leftists in the U.S. to move to abolish the second amendment, sparking an eventual civil war.

“Eventually, when the white population of the USA realizes the truth of the situation, war will erupt,” Tarrant wrote.

The 28-year old terrorist carried out his attack during Friday Prayer at two separate mosques, The Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Mosque, both in Christchurch. Forty-one people were killed at Al Noor Mosque, and seven at Linwood Mosque. Another victim died after being taken to the hospital.

In addition to Tarrant, several other people were also arrested.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as we have more information.

Jenn Bentley is a writer and editor originally from Cadiz, Kentucky. Her writing has been featured in publications such as The Examiner, The High Tech Society, FansShare, Yahoo News, and others. When she’s not writing or editing, Jenn spends her time raising money for Extra Life and advocating for autism awareness.