First Machine Guns, Then Screams, Then Moscow's Concert Inferno

Black smoke rose into the sky as Russian security forces tried to rescue spectators (Credit: AFP)

First there were rounds of machine gun fire, then piercing screams of panic and then the Crocus City Hall went up in flames.

Alexei, who had been waiting for a concert by the Piknik rock band, told AFP how he hid behind seats in the concert hall before making his escape amid scenes of panic as spectators were gunned down.