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‘Scene of Carnage’ Inside Sold-Out Paris Concert Hall ‘Scene of Carnage’ Inside Sold-Out Paris Concert Hall
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — Hundreds of concertgoers were crowded into one of the most popular music venues in Paris, the Bataclan, for a show by an American group, Eagles of Death Metal. PARIS — The band had been playing to the crowd at one of this city’s most popular music venues, The Bataclan, for about an hour. The 150-year-old music hall was sold out for the show by the American group Eagles of Death Metal.
The band had been playing to the sold-out crowd for about an hour when, suddenly, terror struck. Witnesses said three men shouting “Allahu akbar” burst into the hall. Suddenly, four men brandishing AK-47 assault rifles entered the hall. There were shouts of “Allahu akbar” just before the gunmen opened fire, and for about 20 minutes there was carnage.
Instantly there was bloodshed, with witnesses saying they heard sustained gunfire. Others said grenades had been thrown into the crowd. Witnesses said the attackers also threw grenades into the crowd.
“When they started shooting, we just saw flashes,” a witness named Gwen told French BFM-TV. “People got down on the ground right away. It was all dark.”“When they started shooting, we just saw flashes,” a witness named Gwen told French BFM-TV. “People got down on the ground right away. It was all dark.”
In the scramble to survive, people climbed into the upper boxes in the 150-year-old music hall, or cowered under the seats. The musicians quickly fled the stage. In the scramble to survive, people climbed into the upper boxes of the hall, or cowered under seats. The musicians quickly fled the stage.
“It was a scene of carnage,” a witness named Julien told the radio network Europe 1. “The men shot at the audience, which lasted for about 10 minutes, with one shot lasting three or four seconds. “It was a scene of carnage,” Julien Pearce, a radio reporter who was inside The Bataclan, told Europe 1 radio.
“They shot, recharged their guns, and shot again, even aiming at those already lying on the ground,” he continued. “I saw about 10 bodies lying on the ground, but couldn’t tell whether they were injured or dead.” The music hall can seat up to 1,500 people, but it was unclear how many were inside when the attack began. Some of the spectators managed to escape out back exits, but for minutes the gunmen shot unimpeded.
The hall can seat up to 1,500 people, but it was unclear how many were inside when the shooting began. Some of the spectators managed to escape out back exits, but the gunmen were able to fire on the crowd unimpeded. Benjamin Cazenoves posted an update on Facebook from inside the theater: “Alive. Just some cuts. Carnage. Bodies everywhere.”
Julien told Europe 1 that he had seen two men enter with guns blazing. Benjamin Cazenoves posted an update from inside the theater on Facebook: “Alive. Just some cuts. Carnage. Bodies everywhere.” Mr. Pearce told CNN that he saw two of the men enter and begin to fire randomly. He said the gunmen wore black and said nothing. They simply fired indiscriminately into the crowd. Mr. Pearce said that when he walked out into the street, he saw 25 bodies on the ground.
Around 10 p.m., the gunmen began rounding up survivors as hostages as dozens of police officers massed outside. For over two hours a tense standoff prevailed, with more and more police arriving, enlarging the tense perimeter around the music hall in the city’s 11th Arrondissement. “It lasted for 10 minutes, 10 minutes, 10 horrific minutes when everybody was on the floor covering their heads and we heard so many gunshots, and the terrorists were very calm, very determined, and they reloaded three or four times their weapons,” Mr. Pearce said.
With dozens still trapped inside, and the police massing for an assault, President François Hollande went on television to declare a state of emergency, his voice trembling slightly. At around 10 p.m. the gunmen began rounding up survivors, holding them as hostages as dozens of police officers massed outside. For more than two hours a tense standoff prevailed, with more and more police arriving at the scene, enlarging the tense perimeter around the music hall in the city’s 11th Arrondissement.
All throughout central Paris sirens blared. About 12:15 a.m., the police began their assault on the Bataclan. There were a few quick rounds of gunfire, and then it was over. “I saw these two crazy guys arrive they started firing on everybody,” a witness named Yasmine told BFM television. She heard one of the men shout, “ ‘What you are doing in Syria, you are going to pay for it now.’ ”
Two, perhaps three, terrorists were killed in the final assault. Yasmine began to cry as she recounted what she had seen. “I’ve never seen so many dead around me.” She was shot in the foot.
With dozens trapped inside and the police massing for an assault, President François Hollande went on television to declare a state of emergency, his voice trembling.
All throughout central Paris sirens blared. At about 12:15 a.m. the police began their assault on The Bataclan. There were a few quick rounds of gunfire, several explosions, and then it was over.
Three of the attackers blew themselves up, according to French television, and one was shot dead by the police.
After the assault, television images showed hostages streaming out of the hall, some with their hands on their heads. Elsewhere, away from the venue, plastic sheeting covered bodies of some of the victims. The streets were thick with police and fire vehicles.
“The police are uncovering a scene of horror and apocalypse inside this music hall,” a journalist said on French television.“The police are uncovering a scene of horror and apocalypse inside this music hall,” a journalist said on French television.
The authorities said more than 100 were dead. The authorities said more than 100 were dead. Buses streamed from the scene bearing survivors, some wrapped in towels, to be taken to Police Headquarters in the center of the city and interviewed.
Nearby, the public prosecutor for Paris, François Molins, told reporters — speaking of all the attacks on Friday — that “there is risk that the death toll might reach or even exceed 120 dead.”
Sirens continued to blare throughout the night, but the streets were otherwise deserted.