It's believe the bombing was a suicide attack perpetrated by a man with improvised explosive deive (IED) at the pop concert.
Chief constable Ian Hopkins said:
“We have been treating this as a terrorist incident and we believe that while the attack last night was conducted by one man, the priority is to establish whether he was acting alone or as part of a network.”
“The attacker, I can confirm, died at the arena. We believe the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device, which he detonated, causing this atrocity.”
The home secretary Amber Rudd said:
“This was a barbaric attack, deliberately targeting some of the most vulnerable in our society – young people and children out at a pop concert. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and victims who have been affected.”
“We are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack. All our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected.”The attack came little over two weeks before Britain’s general election on 8 June . In response, all parties have suspended campaigning. Flags outside Downing Street flew at half mast.
The death toll would make it the worst event of its kind in Britain since the 7/7 bombing in 2005, which hit London’s transport network, killing 52 people.
“A huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena."
“It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us as they were trying to exit.”Emma Johnson told BBC Radio 5 Live:
“I turned and saw [a] bright red top in the crowd with a grey panel down the front with risen bits all over it. It was that which stood out because it was so intense among the crowds of people. As quick as I saw it the explosion happened.”
“It happened near where they sell the merchandise,” said Johnson. “There were dead bodies everywhere. I saw the remains of the torso and the remains of the body.”Charlotte Campbell said she last heard from her 15-year-old daughter Olivia at 8.30pm on Monday, shortly before Grande went on stage, and was frantically trying to find her.
“Her dad is actually in Manchester looking for her,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “I’ve got friends out looking for her, I’ve got people I don’t even know out looking for her.
“I’ve got people messaging me saying: ‘Look, we’ve got her photo and we’re out looking for her – we’ll get in contact with you if we see her’. I’m just hearing nothing – her phone’s dead.”
“My heart goes out to families who have lost loved ones, my admiration to our brave emergency services. A terrible night for our great city.” - The metro mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said.
“This is horrific, this is criminal. May the perpetrators face the full weight of justice both in this life and the next.” - Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain.The ambulance service covering Manchester, which is dealing with a significant toll of wounded people, asked people to contact them only if they are in a life-threatening situation because of the “large number of resources” at the incident.
Police have released this emergency number for people concerned about loved ones caught up in the incident in Manchester: +44 (0)161 856 9400