Mass shooting at Moscow concert hall leaves casualties: Mayor

A mass shooting has erupted and fire broke out at a concert hall in a Moscow suburb, leaving several people dead or injured, Moscow’s mayor and Russian news agencies have reported.

“Unknown people opened fire at the Crocus City Hall. The evacuation of people is ongoing,” emergency services told TASS news agency on Friday.

Russia’s foreign ministry called the incident a “terrorist attack” that had to be condemned.

No details were given on casualties but Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed there were deaths in the “terrible tragedy” at the concert by Russian rock band Piknik.

RIA Novosti agency reported wounded victims after “automatic gunfire,” citing its journalist at the scene.

“At least three people in camouflage burst into the ground floor of Crocus City Hall and opened fire with automatic weapons. There are definitely wounded,” a Sputnik correspondent said. “After that [the gunmen] threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire.”

“People in the hall laid down on the ground to avoid the fire, laying there for about 15-20 minutes, after which they began to crawl out. Many managed to get out,” the correspondent said.

Police arrived and were investigating the incident.

Local authorities said that “all forces and means have been directed to the scene of the incident,” and that “information about victims is being confirmed.”

Authorities said a hundred people have been evacuated from the venue’s basement.

Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, which are close to security forces, showed video images of flames and black smoke pouring from the concert hall.

Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it had been a “terrorist attack”.

“The whole international community must condemn this odious crime,” she said on Telegram.