The death toll from the attack by gunmen on a hall at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, an act described by the Russian authorities as «terrorist», is rising.
According to TASS, citing information from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), forty people were killed in the shooting incident at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow.
The Investigative Committee has already opened a criminal case under the article on «Terrorist Attack». Russian President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed, said spokesman Dmitry Peskov, giving all necessary political instructions.
At the same time, the Ministry of Emergency Situations informed that 320 people had been evacuated about two hours after the incident, but it is unknown how many still remained inside the building.
In recent hours, the Russian media have been talking about a terrorist attack, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in her first statement, also describing the attack as terrorist.
So far, it is not clear who the unidentified gunmen are or whether they have been arrested. However, it has been reported that suspects have been arrested in a major operation currently underway in the area.
Videos even show the arrest of one of the suspects:
Moscow Terrorist Attack
One of the suspects has been reportedly detained.#Russia #Moscow
- Biju VB (@Biju_Vaisyathil) March 22, 2024
⚡️SHOOTING IN A CONCERT HALL #CROCUS IN MOSCOW
AT LEAST 10 DEAD pic.twitter.com/01s5v2csHS
- Russian Market (@runews) March 22, 2024
Russian news reports said the attackers threw explosives, causing a massive fire at the Crocus City Hall in the western edge of Moscow, while video posted on social media showed huge black smoke billowing over the building.
The attack occurred as crowds gathered for a concert by Picnic, a famous Russian rock band, in the hall that can accommodate over 6,000 people. Russian news reports said the guests left, but an undetermined number of people could have been trapped by the fire.
Ria Novosti reports that people have been wounded by the shooting, and a fire broke out in the building immediately afterwards.
«People in camouflage, at least three, stormed the ground floor of Crocus Town Hall and opened fire with automatic weapons. There are definitely wounded,» a RIA Novosti correspondent reported. According to him, after that the criminals threw a grenade.
«The people who were in the room lay on the floor to escape the gunfire for 15-20 minutes and then started crawling out. Many managed to get out.».
https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1771231434365100210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1771231434365100210%7Ctwgr%5Ece2145bfdc5cf9a68ace0f166dd4fde516e8530c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.gr%2Fkosmos%2Fstory%2F411349%2Fmosxa-synagermos-gia-pyrovolismoys-sto-dimarxeio-crocus
Videos published on Russian media and Telegram channels show two men with rifles moving through the mall. Another video shows a man inside the amphitheater and notes that the gunmen set fire to the building as gunfire rang out non-stop inside the building.
The area has been cordoned off by the police and dozens of ambulances are on the scene.
Moscow
12 ta odamni otib tashashdi
Shopping center no
3 ta odam kamuflyajda otishma qilishgan pic.twitter.com/NZ6Td6j6GS- RustamAkh🫀 (@TweetsAkh) March 22, 2024
Trapped in the fire
People are still trapped inside the concert venue as well as on the roof of the building, where gunfire and explosions occurred earlier, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
The fire has engulfed a third of the concert hall building and the roof of the building has almost gone up in flames, TASS reported.
Videos posted on Russian social media show scenes of chaos, with a large number of spectators trying to leave the hall after the shooting.
Other videos show many people lying motionless in pools of blood outside the concert venue.
Reuters could not immediately verify the video.
The TASS news agency reported that an explosion occurred and then a fire broke out in the building where the shooting took place.
The newspaper Kommersant resurrected on its website a video showing thick smoke coming from where the concert hall building is located.
White House: The attack is not linked to Ukraine
Ο White House condemned the deadly attack in the concert hall in Moscow, describing it as a «terrible» incident.
«The images are just horrific and hard to watch,» National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
«Our thoughts will be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack,» Kirby said. «There are some moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters who haven't heard from them yet. This is going to be a tough day.».
The spokesman also insisted that the US has no information about the attack, nor does it believe it is in any way connected to the Ukraine.
The attack followed a directive issued earlier this month by the US Embassy in Moscow urging Americans to avoid crowded places in the Russian capital in view of an imminent attack, a warning echoed by several other Western embassies.
