After Manchester Attack, Bogus Stories Were Everywhere

Meanwhile, one young victim was just 8 years old
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 23, 2017 12:16 PM CDT
Manchester Bombing: An 'Attack on Girls and Women'
This photo obtained by the Press Association shows victim Saffie Rose Roussos.   (PA via AP)

Authorities have identified the suicide bomber at Ariana Grande's Manchester concert as 22-year-old Salman Abedi. The Telegraph reports that he is a Manchester native, though his parents are from Libya and are believed to have fled the regime of Moammar Gadhafi. UK intelligence officials are now trying to figure out the big question: Was he a lone wolf or did he get help? ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, and police have arrested another suspect in connection with it, though it could be awhile before it's clear what, if any, connections Abedi had with them. Coverage:

  • 8 years old: The youngest victim among the 22 fatalities appears to have been Saffie Rose Roussos, who was just 8. She "was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word," says the head teacher at her school, per NBC News. Another victim was a college student previously pictured with Ariana Grande.
  • Bogus reports: In the immediate aftermath of the bombing, a slew of false stories began circulating online. BuzzFeed debunks them, including one about a supposed gunman outside a hospital.
  • More kids: The BBC has a Q&A on what's known about the attack so far. One detail: Of the 59 injured, 12 are under the age of 16.

  • Chosen target? This looks like "an attack on girls and women," declares the headline on a post by Christina Cauterucci at Slate. Grande's "global brand is one of blissful, unsubdued feminine sexuality," and her audience reflects that, writes Cauterucci. The bombing is a "massive act of gender-based violence."
  • What it was like: The New York Times has a detailed scene story based on the accounts of those who attended the concert, including at least one who thinks security checks were a little loose.
  • Still missing: Families were still trying to track down missing loved ones, and the Manchester Evening News has their pleas and photos.
  • One happy ending: Social media helped track down a 16-year-old girl missing after the show, and ABC News has the details. The girl's distinctive yellow top helped strangers find her at a local hotel.
  • Hopeful thought: Stephen King, no stranger to horror, had this to say about the terror group on Twitter: "ISIS: A rogue cult that has substituted superstition and murder for spirituality. Every bombing hastens the day when they will be no more."
  • Crowdfunding: The Manchester Evening News has set up a crowdfunding campaign for victims' families. It had raised more than $620,000 by 1pm ET on Tuesday.
(More Manchester stories.)

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