22 killed, 119 injured in Manchester Arena 'terrorist incident'

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British police have confirmed 19 people have been killed in what's being treated as a "terrorist incident" at Manchester Arena, after an Ariana Grande concert Monday night.

Police are warning people to stay away from the area as emergency services work to examine the scope of the suspected attack.

Main developments:

19 people dead and around 50 injured, Greater Manchester Police say
Explosions reported at 10:35 p.m. on Monday night, local time
The incident took place outside the venue in a public space, Manchester Arena says
Venue held 20,000 people, many young fans

Breaking news -- 19 dead

Greater Manchester Police say at least 19 people are confirmed dead in what is currently being treated as a terrorist incident at Manchester Arena. Police released the following statement on Twitter:

“Just before 10:35 p.m. on Monday 22 May 2017, police were called to reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena. So far 19 people have been confirmed dead, with around 50 others injured. This is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise.”

Literally no where is safe anymore, I wonder what this religious cult is trying to prove by this? Just because they had this religion hammered into their heads as little babies, why don't they get to an age where they look at it as it is ridiculous, and even if their family forced it on them, why don't they just toss it out and think for themselves? It literally makes no sense.

Don't be surprised if I am next, I live in capital city and their kind is extremely common here. I am not being quick to blame 'them' for this, but that is what I am seeing in a lot of the reports. But I could be deceived, could be a lone wolf like Virginia Tech, Batman Theater where it is people doing this for their own personal reasons rather than a butchered, phony and re-written version of a centuries old religion.

I was at an event in the arena there last month. I'm due to go again in a few weeks to see Blink 182 play. I live about 30 miles away.

It's unsettling now how places I've visited have been attacked relatively shortly afterwards.

This one (5 weeks)
Nice (France) lorry killings (3 days)
Brussels airport (1 day)

My sister was at the WTC a day or two before it came down & my mother was on her way to Manchester when the IRA blew it up in the 90's.

A lot of eyewitnesses there are saying that security wasn't checking bags at that concert. That probably has something to do with it.

I think it was at the end of the concert and the guy just ran in as people were exiting.

Absolutely horrendous news to wake up to. Similarly to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], I live just over 20 miles from Manchester, and I've been to the arena millions of times. It's deeply unsettling because it's so close to home, but the worst part is that they've clearly chosen to target an event filled with children..

Also [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - irrelevant, but, they've checked bags for as long as I've been going.

The death toll just got raised to 22 people, 59 are wounded.

They barely checked my ticket last month when I went.

Draw_It_White wrote:

They barely checked my ticket last month when I went.

Well that is just ridiculous. They are supposed to be checking bags and patting people down. I remember when I was a kid and my Aunt was obsessed with the band U2 and she drug me around all over Northern New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington DC to see them about 6 different times during their Zoo TV Tour. We'd have to wait in line for about an hour because they would pat us down and dig through our bags and dig through our jackets. You weren't allowed to bring in cameras or anything like that.

If they aren't even checking bags and don't have metal detectors, any lunatic could wander in there and kill people. You know like the psychopath that killed Christina Grimmie and now this psychopath trying to blow up a bunch of little kids. I just wonder though if it was someone trying to target the actual singer?

It's a shame that people have to think like that especially when it's just kids going to a concert to have fun but sadly, that's how the world is.

I didn't have a bag so I can't comment if they were checking those. I never got patted down.

I was speaking to my friend this morning about it - I remember having the conversation as we walked to our seats about how easy it was to get in. We were pissed that we'd paid £80 for tickets that weren't checked and wondered if we could have flashed an old ticket. It didn't cross my mind someone could have got in easily to commit this type of act though.

That said - I think it happened at the end of the gig when they just open the exit doors for people to leave. Maybe the guy told security he forgot his bag and had been at the gig or something so they just let him back in? Maybe he just burst through? They don't exactly have your typical nightclub security men on the doors - they are often young girls who are students in the city trying to earn a bit of extra money so if someone wanted in, they'd get in, particularly when the gig had finished.

Draw_It_White wrote:

if someone wanted in, they'd get in, particularly when the gig had finished.

Yeah, when the gig has ended non-concert-goers can stand in the foyer - you probably only have to tell them you're waiting for someone/picking someone up. You might not even need to say anything. My stepdad's done it before.

Just found out some people I know were there last night. Fortunately none of them were harmed.

A nurse who I know has said they are treating victims with shrapnel wounds over in Blackburn. Sounds like there are more wounded than was announced - unless the 50 odd reported are serious injuries and these at Blackburn are just minor.

I've read that man who did it was 23 year old, Salman Abedi, but I'm not sure if that has definitely been confirmed yet.

Yes, it is confirmed here:

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More information here too:

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I live 20 miles from Manchester and I'm a frequent visitor like many. I've never visited the arena but the adjacent Victoria station I've past through many times. The back entrance to the arena where they showed people streaming out down the stairs is a familiar route I'd catch the train via. I'm supposed to be running the great manchester run on Sunday, a mass run event and would seem a good target for any would-be sicko, short of tempting fate. No amount of media criticism/stigma seems to deter these individuals from carrying out their barbaric acts. School shootings appear to follow a similar pattern, random and idiosyncratic.

How did the run go? I hope you managed to complete it. I saw it on the television earlier and it was just interviewing runners and taking about what happened last week.

What annoys me most about Islamist terrorists is that their motives are so tremendously stupid.

Draw_It_White wrote:

How did the run go? I hope you managed to complete it. I saw it on the television earlier and it was just interviewing runners and taking about what happened last week.

Well, I've been to quite a few running events, but this one felt very different coming in the aftermath of the bombing. It was a bit nervy going to the start area with so many thousand people but to my surprised there weren't any security checks but there was an unusually heavy police presence. I'd never to a race feeling that way before, but felt the odds were in my favour. I know many decided to pull out for safety concerns and some people didn't come to spectate and I wouldn't have wanted them to come, even though in hindsight it was safe. It was nice to see a lot of people come to spectate and was what Manchester needed, to take to the streets and not let it affect the way they live. And yes, I did manage to complete it (half marathon) but that was quite an effort, it was just what was needed to take the focus away from what happened and move on.

Yeah the streets look to have been full of folk all week according to the local news.

Well done on attending and doing the run.

Draw_It_White wrote:

Yeah the streets look to have been full of folk all week according to the local news.

Well done on attending and doing the run.

Much appreciated! 

I visited the memorial today in St. Ann's Square, Manchester. There were so many condolences it was incredible - I've never seen anything like it and people continue to lay down flowers and light candles. I don't know what the perpetrator hoped to achieve but I really doubt this reaction was part of it.

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I know people who have got that Manchester Bee tattooed on them. I appreciate they are trying to show some sort of support but that's a bit much for me. Perhaps if you were a resident of Manchester or directly affected but these people probably go about twice a year!

Looks like those fucking devils have struck again in London. Ploughing a few people down then getting out the van & knifing folk.

Draw_It_White wrote:

Looks like those fucking devils have struck again in London. Ploughing a few people down then getting out the van & knifing folk.

It's sickening but not surprising, they're either striking whilst the iron's hot or they know the noose is tightening. Sad that these animals must take others with them.

Did anyone watch the benefit concert that went on in Manchester last night? I did. It was sad.

Jenn wrote:

Did anyone watch the benefit concert that went on in Manchester last night? I did. It was sad.

I caught the last 20 minutes or so.

It looked to be exactly what I thought it was going to be - a lot of pop stars old & new singing with cracked voices & hopefully raising a lot of money to help those wounded & the families of those killed.

Draw_It_White wrote:

Jenn wrote:

Did anyone watch the benefit concert that went on in Manchester last night? I did. It was sad.

I caught the last 20 minutes or so.

It looked to be exactly what I thought it was going to be - a lot of pop stars old & new singing with cracked voices & hopefully raising a lot of money to help those wounded & the families of those killed.

Yep. It reminded me of Live Aid. I've never really been a fan of Ariana's. My sister has been obsessed with her since she was on that Nickelodeon show but watching her barely able to finish "Over the Rainbow" was pretty sad to watch.

Draw_It_White wrote:

Jenn wrote:

Did anyone watch the benefit concert that went on in Manchester last night? I did. It was sad.

I caught the last 20 minutes or so.

It looked to be exactly what I thought it was going to be - a lot of pop stars old & new singing with cracked voices & hopefully raising a lot of money to help those wounded & the families of those killed.

The sort of music on show wouldn't normally interest me, but I found myself watching it nevertheless, as what happened has hit everyone close to home in some way. It was a good thing for the people caught up in the bombing to have the kind of night they were supposed to have. The best part for me was Stevie Wonder's video message.

I find it a bit sad that people are going a bit mental about Noel not being there.

It was about those kids, not an Oasis comeback gig. Sadly for any Oasis fans, Liam has run his mouth again calling his brother for not being there. I don't think that's the sort of thing you can come back from - accusing him of being selfish for not attending a concert for some victims.

I don't really like Oasis anyway so I couldn't care less if they ever reformed. Shame Liam came out with that today though trying to point score because he turned up at the gig. I thought the guy might be alright after doing the couple of songs and helping to raise money, but less that 24 hours later and it's back to the LG show.

It's turned out Noel has donated some of his profits, so maybe Liam can shut up now. 

One of the London Bridge murderers Kharum Butt appeared in this documentary last year aired on Channel 4. In hindsight he wasn't considered enough of a threat or the existing terrorism laws are inadequate. This is a disgrace, there are psychiatric wards for people who have mental conditions such as schizophrenia which cause people to harm themselves and others and they may be lawfully detained under the mental health act, however if you're an 'islamist extremist' who's so deluded and brainwashed that they believe it's completely justifiable to murder people in the name of their religion and that they'll go to paradise for it you can't do anything except hope to catch them in the act. It was good to see other people rejecting this group and what they stood for.

I not only feel bad for the victims and their families, but everyone living in Europe. Its so unsafe there now.

The tickets I had for a gig next week at MEN had to go back. There has been a change of venue as they haven't fixed the damage yet. Fortunately I have tickets for the new show.

Mystic808 wrote:

I not only feel bad for the victims and their families, but everyone living in Europe. Its so unsafe there now.

These events are still very rare, it's not worth even to consider the possibility of it happening. It's not any more unsafe now than it was, there's just another type of crime/mass murder to contend with. In the 70s the threat to the UK was from Irish republican (IRA) terrorism, in the 1940s the threat was from Nazi Germany. It's no consolation if you are the target, but then again it's no consolation either knowing travelling by air is the safest form of travel if the worst happens.

Draw_It_White wrote:

The tickets I had for a gig next week at MEN had to go back. There has been a change of venue as they haven't fixed the damage yet. Fortunately I have tickets for the new show.

Did you have them from before the bombing?

macks_ant86 wrote:

Draw_It_White wrote:

The tickets I had for a gig next week at MEN had to go back. There has been a change of venue as they haven't fixed the damage yet. Fortunately I have tickets for the new show.

Did you have them from before the bombing?

Yeah I ordered them before Christmas.

Damn...creepy!

I went to that concert inn friday night, it was good.

I got off the train at the station next to the MEN Arena. The steps were still cordoned off. Still a few piles of rotting flowers at the bottom too.

Alas normality returns...
I haven't been to that train station in a long time. I'm confused as to where the bombing occurred, unsure if it happened via the entrance via the steps in the station or via another entrance via the steps outside the arena?
They should probably demolish and rebuild the foyer entrance area for commercial interests.

I went through Victoria station today, took a detour to see the-now dried brown flowers hanging on fences near the arena, the outside entrance as you say cordoned off with "cleaning in process" signage. Inside Victoria an officer appeared to be checking through somebody with a bulky rucksack's phone, I felt sorry for the dude. The entrance up the stairwell was boarded up and painted dark grey and padlocked with black binliner-like drapes to cover every other visible part, presumably this was how the little f*ck entered the arena foyer. 

Other than that everything appears to be back to normal, although the second google suggestion worry me a little!

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