Russia was hit by its worst attack yet this past weekend when over 100 people were killed in a shooting at an event.
A lot of people waited in Crocus City Hall to see Picnic, a band that has been famous since the Soviet era. It was sold out, with over 6,000 people buying tickets. Many of them weren’t even in the stadium yet, because they were getting snacks and drinks when they heard shots.
People began to hear pops about ten minutes before the show began, but many thought it was fireworks or some other kind of celebration to start the concert they were going to.
Dave Primov, who was at the show, talked about what he heard. “At first, I thought it might be fireworks or something,” he said. “I looked at my coworker, and he also said, ‘Probably fireworks.'”
They quickly learned that these weren’t fireworks; four men had broken into the music hall and were shooting randomly into the crowd. To stop the attack, they set the building on fire.
People thought it was the greatest attack in Russia in years because it hurt almost 200 people and killed over 130. Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, said the attack was “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act.”
Russia thought at first that the attack came from Ukraine, but ISIS admitted to it, and U.S. officials soon confirmed this.
Four suspects, all of whom are Tajik citizens, have been arrested on charges of planning a terrorist attack. They will each get a life term.
Crocus Hall is a big entertainment and shopping center in Krasnogorsk that was built by billionaire Aras Agalarov.
People were scared and running and hiding in videos that were going viral. At one point, a man can be heard saying, “They set the auditorium on fire.” The theater is on fire.”