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Gunmen opened fire at a rock concert in a suburb of Moscow on Friday, resulting in the death of at least 40 people and injuring 100 others, while also causing a fire in the theatre, authorities reported.
The Moscow Attackers wearing camouflage uniforms entered the building, initiated gunfire, and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb, as per a journalist from the RIA Novosti news agency present at the scene.
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The Moscow concert hall shooting fire rapidly spread through the Crocus City concert hall in the Krasnogorsk suburb in the northern part of the Russian capital.
This venue, which can accommodate several thousand people and has previously hosted renowned international artists, was engulfed in flames.
“The FSB security service, as cited by Interfax news agency and other Russian media, reported that 40 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in the Moscow shooting concert terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall,” according to preliminary information.
An investigation into the Moscow concert hall attack terrorists act has been initiated, and President Vladimir Putin is being provided with regular updates on the incident, said his spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Images shared on Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, affiliated with security forces, depicted flames and thick black smoke billowing from the hall. Other visuals showed individuals fleeing the scene or seeking shelter behind seats.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the incident as a “tragedy” occurring during a concert by the Russian rock band Piknik, leading to the cancellation of all public events in the city for the weekend.
Security sources mentioned by Interfax news agency stated that between two and five individuals, attired in tactical gear and armed with automatic weapons, opened fire on guards at the entrance before targeting the audience.
Some attendees took cover on the ground to shield themselves from the gunfire for about 15 to 20 minutes, as reported by the RIA Novosti journalist present at the scene. They began to crawl out once it was safe to do so.
Approximately 100 people managed to escape through the theatre’s basement, while others sought refuge on the roof, as conveyed by the emergency services ministry through its Telegram channel. Nonetheless, a third of the complex was reported to be on fire according to the TASS news agency.
