Four gunmen arrested, death toll rises to 133

Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed Saturday that four suspected gunmen responsible for the terror attack at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall were arrested near Russia’s western border with Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported.

Seven others have been detained and the search for other accomplices is ongoing, the state news outlets reported.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the deadly attack Friday night, in which gunmen opened fire on concertgoers at one Moscow’s largest entertainment complexes. The attackers then set the complex on fire.

Earlier, Russian media posted unverified photos of a car they said belonged to some of the attackers near Russia’s western border and a Russian MP said at least two suspects were detained after a car chase and a shootout, though neither of these have been verified or confirmed by Russian authorities.

The death toll as a result of the terrorist attack has increased to 133 on Saturday, Russian investigators said, adding that the search for bodies under the rubble of the complex continues. Authorities earlier said the toll could rise significantly. The local governor said 121 people remain hospitalized. Preliminary data show the causes of death were gunshot wounds and poisoning by smoke products, the statement from the Investigative Committee said.

“The terrorists used automatic weapons during the attack, which, along with the ammunition they left behind, were discovered and seized by the investigators,” it added.

“The terrorists also used flammable liquid to set fire to the premises of the concert hall, where there were spectators, including the wounded,” the statement said. Putin spoke out publicly for the first time about the attack on Saturday, promising to exact “retribution” on anyone involved in it.

Putin did not acknowledge the ISIS claim for the attack, saying Russia was still investigating. But he sought to suggest that Ukraine could bear some responsibility, saying the suspected attackers had been detained while trying to cross the border to Ukraine and claiming they may have received some help from there.

(ABC News)

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