Attack on Moscow Concert Hall Leaves More than 60 Killed, Hundreds Injured

By Staff, Agencies

Russia’s Investigative Committee announced in the early hours of Saturday that the death toll in the attack on a packed music venue outside Moscow has risen to more than 60. According to health officials, nearly 150 were wounded, including several children.

Unidentified gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk on Friday night and opened fire at people who had come for a rock performance.

The building was set on fire during the assault. The fate of the militants remains unclear as commando units and the National Guard are responding to the attack.

Investigators, meanwhile, continue to recover the bodies and have warned that the number of fatalities may grow even more. Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said that forensic experts are collecting physical evidence and studying the security cameras.

According to videos posted to social media, there were at least five gunmen. They killed security guards and proceeded to indiscriminately fire at people in the lobby. A group of assailants was filmed shooting concert-goers in the music auditorium.

Once the militants reached the concert hall, they reportedly set chairs inside on fire. The blaze spread across the building and reached the roof before firefighters could start combating it. Helicopters were seen pouring large quantities of water on the building following the attack.