Just a few minutes before 20:00, the Crocus City Hall theater in Moscow, Russia, was the target of a terrorist attack. Some 6,200 tickets had been sold and the crowd was looking forward to enjoying a concert by the rock band Picnic when they were surprised by armed men firing randomly into the stands. Eyewitnesses told the BBC of moments of panic in the concert hall as people, many accompanied by children, tried to defend themselves.
The archers opened fire as soon as they entered the room
As a result of the massacre, which has already been condemned by several states and countries around the world, 143 people were killed and 145 were injured. Before viewers realized what was really happening, there were those who believed that it was all part of the show. However, chaos eventually ensued.
According to a photographer at the scene, the suspects, dressed in camouflage clothing, opened fire as soon as they entered the premises.
The woman told BBC that people were advised to run to the parking lot to avoid being caught by the shooters. Many of them were unable to take winter coats with them.
While some people ran onto the stage, others tried to leave through the box doors.
Another witness said he heard a noise coming from the concert hall while he was buying ice cream for his 11-year-old daughter.
“We ran up to the children, lay down and started trying to create obstacles with tables and chairs, and several wounded people came running towards us,” he said. BBC.
The dance group’s assistant was backstage when the attackers burst into the hall. “We were in the locker room and a crowd ran past us. We heard noise and people running in the hallway, so we grabbed our coats and ran with the crowd,” he said.
The man saw the attack from the balcony: “They threw several bombs and everything started to burn,” he explained.
The flames quickly spread throughout the concert hall. The ceiling collapsed, leaving several people trapped.
One of the members of the Picnic group was not found
Initially it was claimed that all members of the Picnic group were alive, but later reports appeared that one of the musicians had not been found.
Suspects detained
Eleven people were arrested after the attack on Saturday, four of them directly involved in the shooting. Daesh also eventually released a photo of the alleged perpetrators of the massacre. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the suspects were detained while trying to flee to Ukraine.
Russia in mourning
Vladimir Putin guaranteed that those responsible for the attack would be punished and declared this Sunday, March 24, a day of national mourning in the country.
Author: Sarah Reis Teixeira
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.