A mass
shooting and
explosion has taken place at a concert hall with at least 40 reported dead as five attackers dressed in combat gear stormed the venue and opened
fire on the crowd. Reports from Russia's state RIA Novosti news agency say several gunmen used automatic weapons to shoot into the audience at a
Moscow concert hall, causing many injuries. Unconfirmed reports on the popular
Russian messaging app Telegram suggest there may be as many as 40 fatalities and 100 injured. News agency Tass also reports an explosion with AP reporting the hall to be ablaze, as the attackers used explosives to start a huge fire at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow. It's now confirmed there were five attackers. Shocking videos being shared online show them bursting into the concert and shooting terrified groups of people at close range. The cruel attackers then shot through glass doors and moved deeper into the hall, reports . The attack took place at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. The three attackers were reportedly wearing camouflage. Firefighters are reportedly struggling to reach people trapped by the fire or put out the flames at the venue. Western embassies had warned about possible terrorist attacks in as early as March. Just two weeks ago, the
US Embassy in
Russia warned all Americans to stay away from big events like concerts. They said there were signs that "extremists" might attack these places. The US Embassy sent out a warning called 'Security Alert: Avoid Large Gatherings over the Next 48 Hours'. They wrote: "The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours. Actions to take: Avoid crowds; monitor local media for updates; be aware of your surroundings." A video shows the scary start of an attack at Crocus City Hall. In it, two people with masks and guns are shooting where lots of people are. You can see some people who look like they have been hurt at the entrance. Videos on the internet show dark smoke coming from the building. Lots of gunshots can be heard in videos from Russian news and Telegram. One shows two men with guns walking through the mall. Another one has a man inside the hall saying the bad guys set it on fire, and you can hear lots of gunshots. Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, has announced he is heading to the area and has set up a task force to deal with the damage. He didn't immediately offer any further details. Reports from Russian media suggest that riot
police units are being sent to the area as people are being evacuated.