Source: Getty
An Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England was cut short after multiple explosions reportedly went off, leaving at least 19 dead and 50 more injured, Reuters reports. While details are still scarce, police have confirmed “mad scrambling” as fans tried to leave the arena, and are treating the event as a terrorist incident.
One concertgoer told The Independent, “I and my sister, along with a lot of others were seeing Ariana Grande perform at Manchester Arena, and we were all exiting the venue when around 10:40-10:45pm, a huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena.” He added, “It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us as they were trying to exit…Everyone was in a huge state of panic, calling each other as some had gone to the toilet whilst this had gone off, so it was just extremely disturbing for everyone there.”
A different source said he was “thrown 30 feet” following the explosion:
Another in attendance recorded a video of the aftermath and posted to Twitter:
The police have warned others in the area to stay away from the arena:
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the fans who were at the event, and the families of the deceased. This story is developing.
UPDATE: Ariana Grande expressed her heartbreak on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/866849021519966208
Understandably devastated, the remainder of Grande’s world tour has been suspended.
