A well-known concert venue and shopping center in the Moscow region is currently engulfed in flames on Friday evening, following reports of a shooting incident involving multiple casualties.
As per Russian media reports, a considerable number of victims were killed and numerous patrons were injured when three individuals, dressed in combat fatigues, forcefully entered Crocus City hall and unleashed a hail of gunfire using automatic weapons.
Approximately 50 individuals have sustained injuries and over 10 fatalities have been reported, as per media sources.
Reportedly, the attackers also used explosives, resulting in a large fire. A fire ignited within the structure, and a current evacuation is taking place.
It is reported that hundreds of people may be trapped within the building, situated in Moscow Region, just outside the administrative border of the Russian capital. The facility comprises a concert hall, an aquarium, a wedding venue, as well as various shops and restaurants.
UPDATE
In the latest development, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that at least 40 people have been killed and over a hundred injured in a ‘terrorist attack’ at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall complex.
The attack followed a statement issued earlier this month by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow that urged Americans to avoid crowded places in the Russian capital in view of an imminent attack, a warning that was repeated by several other Western embassies.
Earlier this month, the United States Embassy in Moscow issued a warning to US citizens in Russia to avoid crowded places in Moscow, due to a strong possibility of an attack. The warning had also been reiterated by several Western embassies in Russia.
UPDATE – Saturday, March 23, 2024
The Investigative Committee of Russian Federation has officially reported today that the confirmed death toll from the concert attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow on Friday evening now stands at 133 individuals.
