Moscow was shaken by one of its deadliest terror attacks in recent memory on Friday evening, when gunmen stormed a popular concert hall on the outskirts of the city, indiscriminately firing on attendees before setting the venue ablaze. The horrific incident at Crocus City Hall left over 100 people killed and dozens more injured, according to Russian officials.
The attack unfolded around 8 pm local time as the rock band Picnic was preparing to perform for an audience of over 6,000. Graphic footage obtained from 9 News Australia showed at least four camouflage-clad assailants opening fire in the venue’s foyer before proceeding into the auditorium itself, shooting randomly at concertgoers.
“I saw a person in the stalls with a sidearm and there were cracks [of gunfire] going off, I was trying to crawl behind a loudspeaker,” one woman recounted to Russian television of the horrific scenes inside the hall. The gunmen also used “a flammable liquid” to set fires that rapidly engulfed the complex as thousands fled in terror.
Over 10 hours later, the blaze was finally contained, but not before taking scores of lives lost to bullets, flames, and smoke inhalation. Russia’s Investigative Committee stated at least 133 were killed, including children, with around 60 more in serious condition as the death toll seemed likely to rise further.
To claim responsibility, the Islamic State militant group released photos of four masked attackers, saying they had carried out the assault targeting the “disgusting” concert. However, Russian authorities have not confirmed the veracity of IS’s claim as of yet.
Instead, officials stated that 11 people had been arrested so far, including four directly involved, after a getaway vehicle was stopped outside Moscow. The perpetrators were allegedly attempting to flee into Ukraine, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who accused Kyiv of facilitating their escape without providing evidence.
Coming just days into Putin’s new presidential term, the brazen attack represents one of the worst strikes on Russian soil since the insurgency in Chechnya. It also highlights the persistent threat of terrorism even as Moscow wages military campaigns against Islamic extremists in Syria and at home.
For the thousands gathered for a night of entertainment at the popular Crocus City Hall, the celebratory occasion was tragically transformed into an unimaginable scene of carnage and horror.
