Death Toll Rises to 140 in Moscow Terrorism Attack

Russia – The Russian Health Ministry said the death toll from last week's attack on a Moscow concert hall rose to 140 on Wednesday, after another victim died in hospital.

The massacre at the Crocus City Hall concert hall on Friday night, March 22, was the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia in two decades.

"Unfortunately, one of the injured, who was in a very serious condition, passed away," Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency, referring to the last victim on Thursday.

"The doctors have made every effort," Murashko said, adding that in hospitals in Moscow and the Moscow region there were still 80 injured people, including six minors.

Another 205 people are also being treated as outpatients, he said.

Meanwhile, Russian news outlet Baza said there were an additional 95 people on the list of people who may still be missing based on appeals from relatives.

"This list includes people whose relatives cannot be contacted since the terrorist attack, but are not included in the list of the injured and dead," Baza said.

"Some of them died, but have not yet been identified,"

Investigators said that four shooters using Kalashnikov automatic weapons carried out the attack, and more than 500 rounds of ammunition were found at the scene.

The victim died from gunshot wounds and asphyxiation due to smoke from the shooting.

The shooting occurred just before Soviet-era rock band Picnic was scheduled to perform in front of an audience of 6,200.

An offshoot of the militant group ISIS, Islamic State Khorasan or ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the attack, less than 24 hours after the unfortunate incident.

Four suspects suspected of carrying out the shooting appeared in court on terrorism charges.

They appeared with battered faces and bodies, showing signs that they received severe beatings and were detained before the trial.

Russian officials said the four were detained in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine and Belarus. Seven other suspects have also been detained in connection with the attack.