Bombing at Manchester Arena

Manchester Arena: police confirm 19 dead And 50 wounded after explosion at Ariana Grande concert – latest updates

Police are treating the incident as a terrorist attack. Witnesses  report it was a suicide bomber. They also reported hearing at least one explosion at the end of the set, possibly two.
Police are asking citizens to avoid the area at all costs, in case of other bombs and/or bombers

A statement from Manchester Arena says the incident took place outside the venue – close to the box office. Earlier reports had suggested it happened in the foyer. It’s very common for details to be conflicting in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic incident like this.

The statement reads:

We can confirm there was an  explosion as people were leaving the Ariana Grande show last night. The incident took place outside the venue in a public space.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims.

Full police statement

Greater Manchester police have confirmed that 19 people have died and around 50 are injured. Statement:

Just before 10.35pm on Monday 22 May 2017, officers 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 unless police discover otherwise.

What we know so far

The North West counter-terrorism unit has said it is treating the incident as a possible terrorist attack.

All roads into this part of the city have been blocked off, but there is still a small group of members of the public watching the police vans driving in and out. Some are outside in their pajamas and live in apartments in the area. They said they were awakened by loud bangs of what they presumed were bombs going off.

There are armed police standing by the corner of the road leading to the arena entrance and bomb disposal vans drove through the cordon and entered the arena.
Small groups of people who appear to have been at the concert have been emerging wrapped in blankets, one woman shaking uncontrollably.

Rolling updates will continue throughout the night on The Guardian.

So far we know from Greater Manchester police that at least 19 people have been killed after what officers are calling a “serious incident” at the Manchester Arena, at the close of a concert by Ariana Grande. A suicide bombing is suspected. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Message from ISIS

claiming credit

The ambulance service have warned people only to call “for life threatening emergencies” because a “large number of local, vital services and resources” were involved at the incident.

A barman at the nearby Steven Charles Snooker Club, who gave his name to the Press Association as Tyler, said he saw people lying on the ground covered in blood.

"We’ve had a few people in with panic attacks and in all kinds of disarray. We’ve got four girls here - we're trying to get them sorted to get picked up. There was a gentleman on the floor with his leg bleeding and a woman with blood down one side of her face.

We felt something, a vibration or shaking, but didn’t know what it was - there was a sound like thunder. One girl had a panic attack and another burst into tears. And a woman had a heart attack just outside the pub."

Further information as it occurs.