As terrorists armed with guns and explosives attacked seven different locales around Paris Friday, one place seemed to cause even more confusion than the rest: the Bataclan theater, where a concert was scheduled.
It ended up worse than many feared: By the time the horror was over, French authorities had killed three attackers who they said in turn had killed at least 87 people in the venue alone.
Andrew Smith, who, according to his blog is a U.K.-based business and management lecturer, tweeted that his Paris apartment was just around the block from Bataclan, and was able to provide a remarkable play-by-play of the siege and rescue effort. He wasn’t able to directly see the venue, but could see those coming in and out, and hear the noise outside. (It’s worth noting that Smith didn’t reply to the Daily Dot’s follow-up questions, but tweeted that he was going to bed soon after we reached out.)
#paristattentats The bar opposite our flat, Le Petit Bal Perdu is being turned into a police command centre for the hostage crisis
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
#paristattentats The bar opposite our flat, Le Petit Bal Perdu is being turned into a police command centre for the hostage crisis
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
I would take more photos of the riots cops below us but my wife is insisting that I stay away from the windows
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
Hostages from the theatre have been released and are walking down rue Oberkampf. Some are literally shaking with fear
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
A few people on stretchers are being wheeled past us. Gunshot wounds in chest. I’m not going to photo any victims
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
Still a terrorist in the #Bataclan theatre, but most #bataclan hostages are out
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
Bataclan Theatre hostages are being directed into Le Petit Bal Perdu bar. #parisattentat
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
Released hostages are hugging each other. One guy fainted on reaching the relative safety of our street.
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
I’m watching the casualties go by our front window and I’m starting to feel anger.
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
Two types of stretchers going down our street: the ones where the medics are rushing and the more depressing ones where the person is dead.
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
To be clear, I didn’t say that the hostage situation was over. Our apartment does not facing the theatre. I did see an influx of hostages
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
More gunfire now
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
I hear people screaming in the nearby street. I don’t know if their screams are caused by physical or mental anguish. It’s awful
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
A young woman is screaming at the paramedic who came over to talk to her. Obviously he gave some bad news.
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 13, 2015
Bataclan is quiet now. That’s a good sign, I think. Fingers crossed.
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 14, 2015
Suddenly all of the police are leaving our area. Medical services are getting busier though
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 14, 2015
I think I will go to bed. Tomorrow’s challenge: explaining to my 5yr old why is normal Saturday routine is disrupted.
— Andrew Smith (@andrewhistorian) November 14, 2015
Update 4:50pm CT, Nov. 17: The official number of people killed at Bataclan fell from early estimates of 118 immediately following the attack to 87. The total number of casualties from Friday night’s attacks in Paris is 129.
Photo via faungg’s photos/Flickr (CC BY ND 2.0)
