Shooting near Moscow: 40 dead and 145 injured

Hibapress
At least 40 people were killed and 145 others injured on Friday in a deadly shooting at a concert hall in Krasnogorsk, a town located about twenty kilometers northwest of the capital, according to a report updated by the department of Health of the Moscow region.
A previous report from the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) reported 40 dead and more than 100 injured.
Several international agencies had announced that the “Islamic State” (IS) group claimed responsibility for the shooting, citing posts by the terrorist group on social networks, but the information was neither denied nor confirmed by Russian authorities.
A few hours earlier, the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) announced, via Telegram, that its special units were looking for the perpetrators of the shooting, without specifying whether the attackers were still in the building.
According to the latest information relayed by Russian media and on social networks, five individuals in camouflage opened fire at Crocus City Hall, while a huge crowd was there. The attack caused a fire.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) announced the reinforcement of the personnel mobilized to extinguish the fire in progress in the performance hall.
“EMERCOM is strengthening the emergency team deployed to extinguish the fire in Crocus. More than 320 firefighters and more than 130 engines are currently working on the site. Three helicopters dumped water on the burning building,” the ministry said.
Following the shooting, the capital's transport department announced that a reinforced control regime had been introduced at the Moscow metro.
“Our priority is the safety of travelers, staff and infrastructure. Safety issues in the Moscow metro are still at the forefront, passengers are subject to increased control,” the department announced in a statement.
The third maximum security level has been activated at transportation facilities, the department continued, asking passengers to arrive at train stations and airports in advance and follow inspection procedures.
The shooting sparked strong reactions from Russian diplomacy, which denounced a “bloody terrorist attack” and a “monstrous crime” through its spokesperson, Maria Zakharova.
In the wake of the shooting, several capitals, international organizations and regional groups expressed their condolences.
Friday's shooting revives the specter of the hostage-taking at Moscow's Dubrovka theater in 2002. At the time, Chechen fighters took 912 people hostage in the theater. The incident ended with an assault by Russian special forces and the death of 130 people.