At least 115 people have died and many more have been injured following an attack on a concert hall in Moscow.

At least 115 people have died and numerous others have been injured in an assault on a concert hall in Moscow. On Friday, gunmen dressed in camouflage entered the venue on the outskirts of the city, resulting in the deaths of at least 115 people and injuring 145 others. A fire broke out, with flames visible from a distance.

Russia’s Investigative Committee released a statement confirming the number of casualties and expressing concern that the number could rise. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has apprehended a total of eleven individuals, including four directly involved in the attack. The FSB stated that these individuals were arrested in the Bryansk region while attempting to cross the Russian-Ukraine border.

According to an official from the U.S. administration, the United States believes that the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), a group based in eastern Afghanistan, is responsible for the attack. The group had claimed responsibility on its Telegram channel. Earlier this month, the U.S. had warned Russia about a potential terrorist attack in Moscow, specifically targeting concerts, according to a statement by National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.

The concert hall, Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, was hosting a performance by the veteran Russian rock band Picnic when multiple gunmen in military attire entered the venue. Witness videos shared on social media show at least three attackers firing at people who were attempting to hide. Other videos show individuals lying on the ground inside the concert hall before a fire broke out and spread, trapping some individuals inside. Prior to the fire, several people were seen on the venue’s roof, which eventually collapsed due to the flames.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin expressed his condolences and referred to the incident as a “major tragedy” as the death toll is expected to rise. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet directly commented on the events, but he wished a speedy recovery to the injured and expressed gratitude to the doctors, as conveyed by a senior administration official.

The Kremlin stated that Putin was informed about the attack shortly after it began and received reports from the heads of the security and emergency situations ministries throughout the night.

Some Russian officials are suggesting that there may be a Ukrainian connection to the attack, a claim that Ukrainian authorities deny. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tweeted that Ukraine had no involvement in the shooting at the Crocus City Hall and that it made no sense to accuse them.

The White House issued a statement condemning the attack as “terrible” and stated that there is currently no indication of Ukrainian involvement. The U.S. National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, described the footage of the shooting as “horrible and difficult to watch.” The U.S. embassy in Moscow has cautioned U.S. citizens to avoid the area.

Moscow previously experienced a hostage crisis at the Dubrovka theater in 2002 when Chechen gunmen demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya and took approximately 800 theatergoers hostage. A rescue operation by Russian security forces resulted in the deaths of 172 people.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, called on the international community to condemn the incident, describing it as a “monstrous crime.”

In the aftermath of the attack, people in Moscow and Saint Petersburg have lined up to donate blood for the victims. Impromptu flower memorials have also been set up in various Russian cities, as well as outside Russian embassies in other countries, including the Russian consulate in New York.

NPR.org Contributed this News.