What we know: Manchester blast in pictures
An explosion hit an Ariana Grande concert attended by thousands of young fans in Manchester, killing at least 22 and injuring dozens more. Here's a rundown of what happened.
Explosion hits concert arena
At around 10:30 p.m. local time, at the end of a concert by US pop singer Ariana Grande in Manchester Arena, an explosion shook what witnesses described as the foyer area of the venue where merchandise was being sold. The blast flung people to the ground and shattered glass in the foyer area.
Fleeing the venue
After the blast, people began streaming out of the arena. Grande has many younger fans, and there were many parents waiting to collect their children outside the venue. Police later said the blast killed 22 people, and over 50 people were injured. Some were treated on site while others were taken to local hospitals. First responders reported some of the victims had shrapnel wounds.
Grande 'broken' by incident
Ariana Grande, pictured in a file photo above, is a 23-year-old singer from the US. She is currently on her global "Dangerous Woman Tour," with her next scheduled concert for May 25 in London. Hours after the explosion in Manchester, Grande tweeted: "broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words."
Helping victims
In the aftermath of the explosion, several messages appeared on social media seeking help in finding people who were unaccounted for after the blast. Hotels near the venue opened their doors for children who had not yet been reunited with their parents, and #RoomInManchester began trending on Twitter as residents offered a place to stay for anyone stranded after the blast.
Seen as 'terrorist incident'
Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist incident carried out by a lone suicide bomber. Police named the suspect as Salman A., but cautioned that coroners had not yet identified the body of the suicide bomber.
Arrest made
In the late morning after the attack, police said that they had made an arrest in connection with the incident. There was some panic at about the same time when a shopping center near to the concert venue was evacuated by police.
'Islamic State' group claims attack
The so-called "Islamic State" claimed credit for the attack through its Amaq news agency. However, IS is known to make such claims even when it has not had direct involvement in planning and orchestrating specific terror attacks.
Vigil held
Thousands of people attended a vigil in central Manchester on Tuesday evening. Many held signs reading "I Love MCR," an abbreviation for Manchester. A Muslim group held a banner that read: "Love for all, Hatred for None."