Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on Moscow concert hall

by Filip Timotija - 03/22/24 7:08 PM ET

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landlside. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Moscow concert hall Friday that left 115 people dead and over 100 civilians injured.

The group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement Friday evening shared by SITE, an intelligence group.

Russia’s Health Ministry released a list of 145 people injured, The Associated Press reported earlier Friday.

The U.S. collected intelligence that Islamic State-Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K, a branch based in Afghanistan has been planning an attack on Russia’s capital city, Moscow, according to The New York Times, citing one U.S. official.

The Islamic State has been wanting to ramp up attacks, per U.S. counterterrorism officials, cited by The Times.

Video footage from the Crocus City Hall music venue showed at least three gunmen, dressed in camouflage clothing, shooting at people with automatic weapons. They also unleashed explosives during the attack, which caused collapsing of the roof as flames poured over the building.

Russian rock band Picnic was set to perform at the venue, which can hold over 6,000 listeners. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the shooting, according to AP.

At least 115 people were hospitalized from the attack, including five children, while several were treated and released, said Russian Minister of Health, Mikhail Murashko, according to The Times. Sixty adult patients are in critical condition, according to Murashko.

Over 50 ambulances, along with firefighters and law enforcement, were sent to the scene.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack was a “huge tragedy” and is being currently investigated, per AP.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said the footage is “hard to watch,” but added there was no evidence of Ukraine being involved in the attack.

“The images are just horrible. Just hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack,” Kirby said Friday. “No indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting.”

Updated at 9:43 a.m. EST.

Tags ISIS John Kirby Moscow Moscow attack Moscow concert hall Vladimir Putin