Photo: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
Moments after singer Ariana Grande finished her concert at 22 May 2017 at the Manchester Arena, a suicide bomber detonated an explosion at the venue, killing concertgoers and injuring 80 plus.
ISIS claimed responsibility for what was the deadliest act of terrorism in Great Britain since the London Underground bombings in 2005.
A scene of youthful fun turned into panic and violence when shrapnel and fire they cut through the crowd pouring out of the Arena’s busiest exit. Witnesses said they heard an explosion and saw a flash of light. Some were knocked down by the blast, while others struggled to safety in the chaos.
Desperate parents, family and friends began what would be an hours-long search of their children and of those from whom they had been separated when the race for safety began.
Others took to social media with photos of their loved ones, using #manchesterarena to ask if any of them had been seen alive after the explosion. More than were made emergency calls; 23 ambulances and 150 police helped in the search.
The youngest victim was Saffie Roussos, a native of Lancashire, aged 8.
It was later revealed that the attacker was Salman Abedi, of 22 years old, a Manchester native of Libyan descent who investigators believe became radicalized after spending time in Libya in 2011.
Although he was known to the British security services, he was not part of no assets from terrorist investigations at the time of the attack. Evidence shows that others, including Abedi’s brother, were aware of his plans and may have helped carry them out.
Right after the attack, Grande tweeted: “From the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry, I have no words.” Eleven days later, he returned to Manchester and visited the injured fans and the families of the victims.
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