Manchester bombing at an Ariana Grande concert
May 24, 2017
On Monday night, May 22nd, a devastating attack occurred at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.
The bomber, identified as 22-year-old Salman Abedi, detonated a bomb when people were leaving the concert, killing 22 people and injuring 59 others. Chaos ensued afterward, with people flocking towards the exits, full of terror and panic.
In light of the tragic events that transpired at the concert, many celebrities and politicians reacted to the attack. Ariana Grande, of course, was absolutely shocked and heartbroken for what happened at her own event. She tweeted, “Broken. From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry. I don’t have words.” The singer has reportedly canceled the rest of her “Dangerous Woman” tour. Several other celebrities have mourned along with Ariana Grande. Lorde posted on Twitter, “Every musician feels sick & responsible tonight — shows should be safe for you. Truly a worst nightmare. Sending love to Manchester & Ari.” Demi Lovato also tweeted, “I’m so sorry you had to go through this Ari.. This isn’t fair and nobody should have to go through this. My thoughts and prayers are with you and the victims.” Many others have shown their support through social media.
Queen Elizabeth II herself expressed her condolences on the Royal Family’s official website: “The whole nation has been shocked by the death and injury in Manchester last night of so many people, adults and children, who had just been enjoying a concert. I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured. I want to thank all the members of the emergency services, who have responded with such professionalism and care. And I would like to express my admiration for the way the people of Manchester have responded, with humanity and compassion, to this act of barbarity.”
Salman Abedi, the bomber, is believed to have died in the explosion but hasn’t been formally identified by the coroner yet. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in Manchester.
For the first time in a decade the UK has raised their threat level to “critical”, the highest it can be.