A schoolboy has been hailed a hero for rescuing more than 100 people from the Moscow massacre.
When terrorists began shooting at concertgoers on Friday, 15-year-old Islam Khalilov was working part-time as a cloakroom attendant at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall.
The brave boy remained calm, despite seeing a man being shot right in front of him, and guided terrified people fleeing the gunmen to the emergency exits, saving dozens of lives.
Their bravery and quick thinking came to light as Russia marks a day of national mourning for those – including three children – who died in the horror.
Russian state television editor Margarita Simonyan said today that the death toll had risen to 143, but did not provide the source of her information.
As terrorists began shooting at concertgoers on Friday, 15-year-old Islam Khalilov (pictured) was working part-time as a cloakroom attendant at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall.
Footage from the concert hall showed terrified attendees running for their lives in the foyer of Crocus Town Hall.
Hundreds of people gathered at the concert hall today to pay their respects and lay flowers as Russia declared a day of national mourning.
The condition of 44 survivors, including two children, is described as “serious”, while that of 16 other victims, including a child, is “extremely serious”.
The British embassy in Moscow and the consulate in Yekaterinburg lowered their flags “to mourn with the Russian people for the victims of the terrorist attack on Crocus Town Hall.”
New images also emerged of people setting up barricades from cafe chairs as they tried to avoid being shot dead by the brutal killers.
Separately, a new video also emerged of Russian troops kicking and punching a terror suspect when he was detained in the Bryansk region.
In another recording, schoolboy Islam is seen leading the fleeing crowd down an emergency staircase.
“That way, that way, that way,” he shouts. ‘Everyone go that way. Everyone over there. To the Expo, to the Expo….’
Islam said: ‘At first we heard some strange sounds on the first floor. We thought maybe some noisy group had come.
Then he saw people starting to run in terror. He saw a man being shot in front of him and knew he had to escape and help others.
He said: “I understood that if I didn’t react, I would lose my life and the lives of many people,” he said. “Honestly, it was very scary.”
He shouted and signaled for the frightened and panicked people to follow him.
‘When I was in the crowd, walking towards the door to open it, I thought that (the gunmen) might come out of the stairs or the escalator and throw a grenade or open lethal fire.
‘Thank God nothing happened. I managed to open the door in time and let everyone out towards the Expo.’
The teenage savior led more than 100 people to the Expo entrance (Crocus) in an adjacent building.
Islam (pictured) said: ‘All this happened before my eyes. To be honest, I’m still in shock. They shot a man right in front of me, I can’t stop thinking about it’
Panic broke out in the lobby of Crocus City Hall in Moscow when the shooting began on Friday.
Russian media share photographs of four suspected terrorists, at the Crocus concert hall massacre in Moscow, giving their names as (clockwise from left) Makhmadrasul Nasridinov, 27, Rivozhidin Ismonov, 51, Shokhindzhonn Safolzoda, 21, Rustam Nazarov, 29
Fire rises above the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue after gunmen broke into the building and set parts of it on fire.
In another recording, schoolboy Islam is seen leading the fleeing crowd down an emergency staircase. “That way, that way, that way,” he shouts. ‘Everyone go that way. Everyone over there. To the Expo, to the Expo….’
Image of the alleged gunmen who opened fire at the Crocus Town Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow
A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial to victims of a shooting attack set up outside the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Moscow region, Russia, on March 24.
Islam himself, an enthusiastic footballer, was the last to walk to ensure that no one was left behind.
He explained: ‘They showed us and told us where to send people if something happened. He knew where to take people to keep them safe.’
He revealed that his mother was shocked by the horror and cried for what her son had to go through.
Islam added: ‘That all this happened before my eyes. To be honest, I’m still in shock. A man got shot right in front of me, I can’t stop thinking about it.
The schoolboy, a Muslim, is expected to be honored by Russian authorities.
The spiritual leader of Russian Muslims, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, separately presents him with a medal.
Many believe that a branch of ISIS is behind the attack in which a total of 285 people were victims, including eight children.