Police in Manchester, England, said at least 22 people, as well as the attacker, were confirmed dead after reports of an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert on Monday night. Police said 59 more people were injured. Among them are 12 people under the age of 16.
Police said they believed the attack was perpetrated by one man who was “carrying an improvised explosive device.”
People were warned to avoid the arena area, and the Victoria transit station was shut down during the police investigation. Many Manchester taxis offered free rides to people stranded in the area.
Here is how the chaotic and deadly night unfolded in Manchester:
At 10:54 p.m. local time, Greater Manchester Police announced via Twitter that officers were responding to “reports of an incident at Manchester Arena,” where the singer Ariana Grande was finishing her concert.
Police responded to reports of an incident at Manchester Arena. Please stay away from the area. More details to follow....
— G M Police (@gmpolice) May 22, 2017
The city of Manchester has a population of about 530,000, and the arena is near the centre.
Source: Manchester City Council
The arena is just over 200 miles from London.
There was chaos in the arena while people scrambled to escape. Many were holding pink balloons released during the show.
The situation was updated to a "serious incident" at 11:29 p.m. People were encouraged to avoid the area as ambulances and emergency services rushed to the scene.
Emergency services responding to serious incident at Manchester Arena. Avoid the area. More details will follow as soon as available
— G M Police (@gmpolice) May 22, 2017
One woman said she took 50 young girls who couldn't find their parents to the nearby Manchester Holiday Inn to wait safely until parents or guardians could pick them up.
@ArianaGrande If your child went missing in Manchester blast, contact Paula Robinson: https://t.co/DNNMJgzBXp#ArianaGrande #Manchester #ManchesterArena pic.twitter.com/UqE5XvarWA
— Abdul Wasey Naik (@WaseyNaik) May 22, 2017
The first photos of people with injuries began emerging on Twitter around midnight.
Pictures of the injured beginning to come out of Manchester (credit: Joel Goodman) pic.twitter.com/9LebrHAmby
— Scott Campbell (@scottcampbell) May 22, 2017
Police said first responders were "working tirelessly" and that there were "confirmed fatalities" at the scene at 11:44 p.m.
Police statement on incident at Manchester Arena pic.twitter.com/gaKASukx9a
— G M Police (@gmpolice) May 22, 2017
Due to the incident in Manchester, please only call us for life threatening emergencies at this time. Thank you.
— NWAS NHS Trust (@NWAmbulance) May 22, 2017
Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene just past midnight.
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Bomb disposal going into thearena. pic.twitter.com/FG3g4CkpoM
— Frances Perraudin (@fperraudin) May 22,2017
Bomb disposal going into thearena. pic.twitter.com/FG3g4CkpoM
Police announced just past 1 a.m. on May 23 that 19 people had been killed after reports of an explosion. First responders tended to the dozens of injured people while ambulances took victims to six hospitals across Greater Manchester.
Latest statement on incident at Manchester Arena pic.twitter.com/BEpLOan3dY
— G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017
Police cordoned off an area near the box office of Manchester Arena. The explosion reportedly was in the foyer or lobby of the venue.
Source: The Guardian
As the night stretched on, police escorted concertgoers, including many teenage girls and their parents, to safety.
Facebook activated its safety-check function so people could alert their friends and family that they were safe.
Manchester police told reporters at a press conference just after 3 a.m. that they were working with local and national counterterrorism and intelligence forces on the case.
Latest statement on incident at Manchester Arena @CCIanHopkins pic.twitter.com/GEABqAk5rr
— G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017
NWAS has taken 59 casualties from the Manchester Arena incident to various hospitals & treated a number of walking wounded on scene
— NWAS NHS Trust (@NWAmbulance) May 23, 2017
Just after 7 a.m., Manchester police confirmed that 22 people had died, some of them children.
Chief constable Ian Hopkins confirmed at another press conference that the attacker was one man who was "carrying an improvised explosive device, which he detonated, causing this atrocity." The attacker also died in the explosion, police said.
Hopkins added, "Emergency numbers have been established for anyone who is concerned for loved ones who may not have returned home: 0161 856 9400 or 0161 856 9900."
Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn agreed to suspend general-election campaigning on Tuesday. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the attack as an "evil act."
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"This was an evilact" says @MayorofGM @AndyBurnhamGM on the#ManchesterAttack.He says "we are grieving but we are strong" pic.twitter.com/XGYjV6tbYC
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 23,2017
"This was an evilact" says @MayorofGM @AndyBurnhamGM on the#ManchesterAttack.He says "we are grieving but we are strong" pic.twitter.com/XGYjV6tbYC
@MayorofGM@AndyBurnhamGM#ManchesterAttackpic.twitter.com/XGYjV6tbYCMay 23,2017
The prime minister was due to chair an emergency Cobra committee meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Meetings of Cobra, an acronym for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, are usually attended by government ministers along with emergency, security, and intelligence officials.
Speaking in Israel, US President Donald Trump branded the attacker a "loser" and called for his "wicked ideology" to be "completely obliterated." He said, "We stand in absolute solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom," adding, "I won't call them monsters, because they would like that term. They would think that's a great name. I will call them, from now on, losers, because that's what they are."
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WATCH: Trump brands terrorists"losers" in response to Manchester suicide attack- via@MSNBC https://t.co/tsPgSfKNcd
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 23,2017
WATCH: Trump brands terrorists"losers" in response to Manchester suicide attack- via@MSNBC https://t.co/tsPgSfKNcd
At the request of European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, flags flew at half-mast outside the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday.
At the request of @JunckerEU, flags at half-mast in @EU_Commission in solidarity with the British people #Manchester pic.twitter.com/AJrlgsZVKy
— Margaritis Schinas (@MargSchinas) May 23, 2017
Messages of sympathy and horror from celebrities all over the the world flooded Twitter.
My thoughts, prayers and tears for all those affected by the Manchester tragedy tonight. I'm sending all my love.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 23, 2017
A number of prominent politicians and people in the business world have also expressed their condolences.
Ariana Grande reportedly suspended the European leg of her world tour.
TMZ reported that she was "inconsolable" and "in hysterics" when she learned of the casualties following the explosion.
Following a meeting of the Cobra committee, the prime minister condemned what she called a "callous terrorist attack." She said that security services believe they know the identity of the attacker, but will not release his name until it has been confirmed. She said it was "among the worst terrorism we have experienced in the United Kingdom." May will now travel to Manchester to meet with those dealing with the aftermath of the attack.
May said: "This attack stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice."
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"This attack stands outfor its appalling, sickening cowardice" - UK PM @Theresa_May https://t.co/I7YngSds2C pic.twitter.com/WxIsoUlfIj
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) May 23,2017
"This attack stands outfor its appalling, sickening cowardice" - UK PM @Theresa_May https://t.co/I7YngSds2C pic.twitter.com/WxIsoUlfIj
@Theresa_Mayhttps://t.co/I7YngSds2Cpic.twitter.com/WxIsoUlfIjMay 23,2017
At around 11.30 a.m. reports emerged of crowds running away from Manchester's Arndale shopping centre.
Sky News Home Affairs correspondent Andy Hughes said that the evacuation appeared to be a false alarm. Evacuated staff were seen re-entering the building shortly after.
Police say it's a false alarm sparked by someone panicking unnecessarily. Outbreaks like this often happen in wake of a terror attack.
— Andy Hughes (@SkyAndyHughes) May 23, 2017
At 11.50 a.m., the Press Association reported that a 23-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the attack.
#Breaking Man, 23, arrested in connection with Manchester Arena bomb attack, @gmpolice say pic.twitter.com/Y6On1vMA4R
— Press Association (@PA) May 23, 2017
Shortly after midday, Queen Elizabeth II released a statement expressing her "deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event."
Police started to release names of the deceased around midday. The first victim named was 18-year-old Georgina Callander, pictured. Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos was later named deceased.
Numerous others who attended the concert are still missing. Police provided emergency numbers for anyone who is concerned for loved ones who may not have returned home: 0161 856 9400 or 0161 856 9900.
On Tuesday afternoon, police announced that a number of warrants for arrests in the Manchester area had been executed.
— G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017
As of 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, police had made three arrests in connection with the bombing. A controlled explosion also took place. Pictured is an armed police officer standing outside a residential property near to where a man was arrested in the Chorlton area of south Manchester.
