Confirming what CBS reported earlier today, UK police and Whitehall officials said that the suspected bomber who killed at least 22 people is 22-year-old Salman Abedi (or Salman Ramadan Abedi) from a family of Libyan origin. Abedi had not been identified by the coroner so no further details would be given, Greater Manchester Police said.
While unclear if this is an official release - recall, earlier in the day UK PM Theresa May said authorities knew the name of the Manchester attack suspect but were not disclosing it until they were certain - moments ago CBS reported that the suspect behind the Manchester attack is 23-year-old Salman Abedi. As CBS also adds, he was known to authorities.
CORRECTION: CBS News can confirm suspected Manchester attacker is 23-year-old Salman Abedi https://t.co/OtAmmxHRzF pic.twitter.com/vWYlZrenyB
Two loud explosions were reported this evening at Manchester Arena by people attending a pop concert by Ariana Grande in an event that Greater Manchester Police is now describing as 'serious'. Members of the public have been advised to avoid the arena. People reportedly fled the stadium after hearing "two loud explosions".
Network Rail has reported that train lines in and out of Manchester are currently blocked.
One Twitter user wrote: "Honestly worst night of my existence. Just kept running from Manchester Arena for my life."
UK police tasered a blind man with 50,000 volts for failing to drop his walking stick at a railway station in Manchester, northwest England. Greater Manchester Police responded to a call on Thursday night that a middle-aged man was carrying a gun waiting on a platform at Levenshulme railway station. The innocent man was later offered a cola by the police. RT.com reports: When the blind man failed to respond to demands that he lower his “weapon,” officers shot him with a high powered stun gun.
A pensioner drove over five miles down the wrong way on the M60 in Manchester before colliding head-on with other cars. The man in his eighties has been hospitalized while police inquiries are ongoing. AOL Travel reports: The pensioner was in a red Ford Fiesta and was spotted heading anti-clockwise in the right hand lane between junctions 3 at Cheadle and 9 at Trafford Park at 6.10pm on Monday 3 May. Two ambulances were sent to the scene after he crashed into two other vehicles. Luckily, nobody was seriously injured in the incident.