At least 22 people, including some children, have been killed and more than 50 injured after an explosion outside of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.
The deadly explosion rocked the Manchester Arena around 10:30 p.m. Monday as concert-goers were leaving the building.
Video shows panicked crowds as they made their way through a sea of pink balloons trying to exit the venue.
EXPLOSION AT MANCHESTER ARENA AND EVERYONE RAN OUT SO SCARY😭 pic.twitter.com/pJbUBoELtE
— ♡♡ (@hannawwh) May 22, 2017
Thousands of young music fans were in attendance at the concert in northern England. Grande, who was not injured, tweeted later saying “broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don’t have words.”
broken.
from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don’t have words.— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 23, 2017
Taxi services offered free rides and residents opened their homes to provide lodging for people who were left stranded after public transportation was closed in the area.
Panicking at Victoria Station after @ArianaGrande concert. Hope everyone is all safe and well. pic.twitter.com/6Q5WNXFkFO
— Zach Bruce (@Zach_bruce) May 22, 2017
Police received hundreds of emergency calls after the blast and dispatched more than 400 police officers to the area.
“This is a fast-moving investigation and we have significant resources deployed to both the investigations and the visible patrols that people will see across Greater Manchester as they wake up to news of the events last night. This will include armed officers as people would expect,” said Greater Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hospkins.
Ambulances out in force heading to Manchester Arena after all lining up on Thompson street fire station. pic.twitter.com/vpAFFUG0MI
— Sam Ward (@SamWardMCR) May 22, 2017
Local police say the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device and was killed at the arena. Police say they have identified 22-year-old Salman Abedi as the suspected bomber.
Early Tuesday morning, Greater Manchester Police tweeted that a second person, a 23-year-old man, was arrested in South Manchester in connection with the incident.
Police executed two search warrants, one in Whalley Rouge, and one in Fallowfield that included a controlled explosion to allow officers inside.
British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke outside her offices in London saying it is “beyond doubt” that Britain and the city of Manchester have fallen victim to “a callous terrorist attack.”
Manchester police have addressed the fake social media posts circulating on the internet claiming to be missing children.
The police force tweeting, “While we want to thank everyone who has shared efforts to reunite people with their loved ones we DO NOT believe there are any unaccompanied children in any of the hotels in Manchester as a result of the explosions last night.”
