Gunmen attack mall near Moscow, dozens presumed dead (VIDEOS)

Attackers armed with automatic weapons have opened fire at Crocus City Hall

Multiple videos posted on social media on Friday evening showed the moment a mass shooting took place at a shopping center and concert venue in the Russian capital.

According to preliminary reports by eyewitnesses, masked assailants opened fire from automatic rifles and used hand grenades. Video footage suggests at least five gunmen were involved. Official information about the incident is still pending.

One video showed people inside a packed concert hall – part of the Crocus City Hall complex – beginning to mill about. Someone shouts “close the door” right before gunshots can be heard and then screaming begins.

Another video captured the sounds of automatic gunfire in the shopping center, echoing from the abandoned galleries.

There were unofficial reports of at least 12 people dead and 50 injured. At least four people could be seen on the floor in one video, which showed shoppers crowding the exits. 

The attackers struck right before a concert of the rock band “Picnic,” scheduled for Friday evening at one end of the sprawling shopping complex in Moscow Region.

According to RIA Novosti, at least three attackers opened fire inside the mall and used an incendiary bomb to start a fire.

Police and emergency services have responded to the scene. There has been no information about the identity or motives of the attackers.

Crocus City Hall is located in the Moscow Region, right outside the administrative boundary of the Russian capital. The complex includes a concert hall, an aquarium, and a wedding venue along with many shops and restaurants.