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Sean 'Diddy' Combs' house searched on suspicion of sexual assault and misconduct

LOS ANGELES — Sean “Diddy” Combs is the subject of a federal investigation amid a series of lawsuits filed against the rap music mogul since November, people familiar with the matter said Monday. told NBC News.

Three women and one man are being questioned by federal authorities in Manhattan on suspicion of sex trafficking, sexual assault, solicitation and distribution of illegal drugs and firearms, officials said. Officials said interviews with three other subjects are also scheduled.

Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations executed search warrants on Monday at properties in Los Angeles and Miami belonging to Mr. Combs, four law enforcement officials told NBC News. Officials say the warrant is out of the Southern District of New York.

HSI acknowledged in a statement that it “conducted law enforcement actions” in New York as part of an ongoing investigation with teams in Los Angeles and Miami.

Homeland security officials seized a cell phone from Combs in Miami as he was leaving for a trip to the Bahamas, according to three law enforcement officials familiar with the warrant. Officials said Combs was in the Miami area when authorities conducted the search. It is unclear whether Combs made the trip as planned.

A representative for Mr. Combs, 54, did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment on Monday.

Sean “Diddy” Combs at the Billboard Music Awards on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas.Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File

A series of allegations and lawsuits

News of the federal investigation comes after Combs' ex-girlfriend, Kathy, accused him of years of physical and sexual abuse, sparking national scrutiny of Combs' behavior. She made the argument in a lawsuit filed in New York late last year under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which gives adult victims of sexual assault one year to file civil lawsuits without regard to the statute of limitations. Ta.

Kathy (whose full name is Cassandra Ventura) reached a settlement with Combs on November 17, the day after the lawsuit was filed, but terms were not disclosed.

Since then, three other women have filed lawsuits in the Southern District of New York alleging that Combs sexually assaulted them. Two of the women said they were teenagers at the time of the alleged assault.

Douglas Wigdor, who represents Ventura and Jane Doe in the lawsuit, said in a statement that he hopes the search and investigation will begin the process of “holding Mr. Combs accountable for his depraved actions.” said.

“We will always support law enforcement when they seek to prosecute those who violate the law,” Wigdor said.

An attorney for Joy Dickerson Neal, one of Combs' accusers, declined to comment to NBC News.

Recommendation

Combs has denied each sexual assault allegation, calling it “sickening.”

A producer who worked for Combs from September 2022 to November 2023 filed a lawsuit in February, alleging that Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened her over a period of more than a year. Former employee Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones also claimed to have video and audio evidence that Combs, his staff and others were “engaging in gross misconduct.”

Jones' attorney Tyrone Blackburn is also representing Combs' accuser Lisa Gardner. Blackburn said Monday that the federal investigation “will not impede or delay my client's pending and future actions in seeking justice and resolution by Combs RICO Enterprises.”

Combs' attorney Sean Hawley previously denied Jones' claims, saying Combs' team has “overwhelming and incontrovertible evidence that his claims are a complete lie.”

One person who frequents the Los Angeles area where the raid took place expressed shock.

Ryan Mendelsohn, 20, who used to live in the area and still regularly visits friends in the neighborhood, told reporters he often parties at his house and sees women outside. He said there was a party going on at the other house, but there were people there, and it was not normal for the woman to stay out until 6 a.m.

“I drive by a lot and I see a lot of girls, maybe five or six girls, going out, some leaving, some not coming back, some going in.” He added that he also saw a black Chevrolet Suburban SUV there.

“I never thought anything of it,” said Mendelsohn, who said she had no idea Combs lived there until Monday's report. “But it's crazy right now.”

weapon charge

Although Mr. Combs has had a number of legal problems, he has rarely faced criminal charges.

In 1999, Combs pleaded guilty to assaulting a record company executive and was sentenced to one day of anger management. That same year, Combs was charged with weapons possession after a shooting at a New York nightclub.

Witnesses told law enforcement they saw Combs with a firearm at the club and that rapper Shine (real name Moses Barrow) fired into the crowd. Combs was stopped by police with his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, and a gun was found in the car. Mr. Combs was acquitted of weapons and bribery charges, and Mr. Shine was found guilty of the club shooting at trial.

The music mogul has been at the center of scrutiny since Ventura's lawsuit and others accused Combs of assault. He resigned as chairman of media network Revolt, and Hulu withdrew from a planned reality series centered on his family.

Diana Dasrath and Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles and Doha Madani and Jonathan Dienst from New York.

Diana Dasrath is an entertainment producer and senior reporter at NBC News covering all platforms.

Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter at NBC News. Pronouns: she/her.

Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporter at NBC News. He covers the Western United States and specializes in crime, courts, and homeland security.

Jonathan Dienst is NBC News' chief justice contributor and chief investigative reporter at WNBC-TV in New York.

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the music that made us

Andrew Haig's latest film, All of Us Strangers, features Adam, played by Irish actor Andrew Scott, who wrote the script for the Fine Young Cannibals' 1985 ska song “Johnny Come Home.” There is a scene where he is working on it. He types the scene headings as follows: Suburban House 1987. ” An established shot. Go back to the past.

Adam gets up from his desk and goes to the next room, pulling out a box of memories from under his bed. Cassette tapes, tattered toys, faded photo albums. “Johnny Come Home” is one of his songs that very strongly evokes the 80s for me, and even before Adam started unearthing his songs, I was already hearing it from my own adolescence. I was experiencing flashbacks. Hearing that takes me back to my childhood bedroom. A boombox with dual tape players, wall-to-wall pink carpet, and a journal with a lock.

I haven't listened to Fine Young Cannibals in years, but I've now returned to their self-titled album and was curious to see if it evoked the same feelings (anticipation mixed with melancholy). Ta. That wasn't exactly the case. I still loved this album and was moved by playing the bop and humming the lyrics, but the album made me feel as if a glass pane had been erected between me and my younger self. I felt far away.

Each of us has these signaling cultural artifacts. Those are those albums. Records, CDs, and playlists that we listened to so deeply and constantly that they merged with our skin, our guts, and our hearts. What happens when we meet them again later, when we have indeed changed and perhaps they have changed too?

When I went to see “Illinois,” Justin Peck and Jackie Sibley's Drury's stage interpretation of Sufjan Stevens' 2005 concept album “Illinois,” recently at the Park Avenue Armory, I was struck by Plunged into the deepest waters of such scenarios. (It opens on Broadway April 24.) When “Illinois” was released, I was a perfect target for its indie-she-rock Americana and epic storytelling. I played for what felt like a year or so. Even if I couldn't quite sing along to the elaborate orchestration, the album's refrain stayed with me. Fragments of the lyrics would flash by, unauthorized, like hallucinations, for decades to come. (“Are you writing from the heart?”, “I’m in love again / Everything will be fine.”)

So when I saw “Illinois” again after all these years, I was a little nervous. The production was more than just a lavish stage production with sets, actors, and choreography; it was a transformation from an intimate album she listened to on her iPod with corded earphones. The stakes felt strangely high. Will someone else's reinterpretation of the album reach me? Will being seen in public diminish my private affection for it? When I told his friend Tom that I was going to see the show, he said nervously: “That album is extremely important in my life,” he said, adding, “If it wasn't perfect, I would be destroyed.”

Thankfully, my performance experience didn't ruin me or the album's sanctity. I was pleased with the sensitive interpretation that the show's creators had crafted into a coherent narrative from the collection of songs, and agreed with Times theater critic Jesse Greene. The coordination of information is almost perfect, from dream-like to sharp. ”

One of the risks of reacquainting yourself with an album you love is confronting the person you were when you identified so closely with it: your younger self and your (sometimes embarrassing) tastes. I was acutely aware in the early '80s of the criticism that Sufjan Stevens's work was too precious and vulgar, and when I remember how susceptible I was to that trick, I realized that I was… It's as embarrassing as if you were watching someone make fun of them in a “Portlandia” sketch. .

It's a complex mix of nostalgia and newness when you're reunited with old favorites when they've changed and we've changed too. Sometimes we are surprised. I was moved by my reunion with “Illinois” and was excited to go home and listen to the album again, adding this new encounter to my archival experience.

Last fall, I was hoping for a similar renewal when I went to see Liz Phair's 30th anniversary performance of her other album, Exile in Guyville. I expected the audience to be as excited as I was to dance and sing along to every lyric. But what I was instead met with was a performance that didn't resonate with me, perhaps due to the cool, quiet audience and my giddy expectations. I left feeling a bit disappointed, but still looking forward to a cathartic return home. In the end, I figured it out from the original source. That trusted theater of connection and rebirth where you turn up the volume and sing your heart out in a long, searing shower at home.

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mushroom and spinach soup

In New York, the march toward milder spring weather is temporarily halted by freezing winter winds. That means now is a good time to simmer a cozy pot of soup, preferably one that's still light and bright and loaded with vegetables. Mushroom and spinach soup with cinnamon, coriander and cumin is perfect for a cold weekend. It's a warming dish made with dashi stock, loaded with leafy spinach, and accented with fragrant roasted mushrooms and shallots. The spices add a heady, earthy flavor that makes this a little different from many other vegetable soups. Make it early before the warm weather takes hold. Salad season will be here in no time.

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A staple item for spring style

Spring is approaching. That means it's time to shed the dazzling winter layers and lighten up your wardrobe. There's no better way to welcome the season than with the ultimate blank outfit: a white T-shirt. Wirecutter's style experts spent six months testing dozens of T-shirts and found his four T-shirts that stood out in a variety of styles and price points. My personal favorite is the ultra-soft, slightly cropped crewneck, which anchors delicate cardigans, baggy jeans, and bold accessories with equal coolness. Lately, I've been wearing it peeking out from behind men's sweatshirts. As the temperature rises, I want to pair it with a fluffy skirt and white sneakers. — Zoe Vanderweide

this week's game

March Madness: The best weekend of the year for college basketball fans, with continuous games over the next two days. Below are some highlights from today's lineup (all Eastern).

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs' house searched on suspicion of sexual assault and misconduct

HSI acknowledged in a statement that it “conducted law enforcement actions” in New York as part of an ongoing investigation with teams in Los Angeles and Miami.

Homeland security officials seized a cell phone from Combs in Miami as he was leaving for a trip to the Bahamas, according to three law enforcement officials familiar with the warrant. Officials said Combs was in the Miami area when authorities conducted the search. It is unclear whether Combs made the trip as planned.

A representative for Mr. Combs, 54, did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment on Monday.

Sean “Diddy” Combs at the Billboard Music Awards on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas.Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File

A series of allegations and lawsuits

News of the federal investigation comes after Combs' ex-girlfriend, Kathy, accused him of years of physical and sexual abuse, sparking national scrutiny of Combs' behavior. She made the argument in a lawsuit filed in New York late last year under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which gives adult victims of sexual assault one year to file civil lawsuits without regard to the statute of limitations. Ta.

Kathy (whose full name is Cassandra Ventura) reached a settlement with Combs on November 17, the day after the lawsuit was filed, but terms were not disclosed.

Since then, three other women have filed lawsuits in the Southern District of New York alleging that Combs sexually assaulted them. Two of the women said they were teenagers at the time of the alleged assault.

Douglas Wigdor, who represents Ventura and Jane Doe in the lawsuit, said in a statement that he hopes the search and investigation will begin the process of “holding Mr. Combs accountable for his depraved actions.” said.

“We will always support law enforcement when they seek to prosecute those who violate the law,” Wigdor said.

An attorney for Joy Dickerson Neal, one of Combs' accusers, declined to comment to NBC News.

Combs denied each sexual assault allegation, calling it “sickening.”

A producer who worked for Combs from September 2022 to November 2023 filed a lawsuit in February, alleging that Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened her over a period of more than a year. Former employee Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones also claimed to have video and audio evidence that Combs, his staff and others were “engaging in gross misconduct.”

Jones' attorney Tyrone Blackburn is also representing Combs' accuser Lisa Gardner. Blackburn said Monday that the federal investigation “will not impede or delay my client's pending and future actions in seeking justice and resolution by Combs RICO Enterprises.”

Combs' attorney Sean Hawley previously denied Jones' claims, saying Combs' team has “overwhelming and incontrovertible evidence that his claims are a complete lie.”

One person who frequents the Los Angeles area where the raid took place expressed shock.

Ryan Mendelsohn, 20, who used to live in the area and still regularly visits friends in the neighborhood, told reporters he often parties at his house and sees women outside. He said there was a party going on at the other house, but there were people there, and it was not normal for the woman to stay out until 6 a.m.

“I drive by a lot and I see a lot of girls, maybe five or six girls, going out, some leaving, some not coming back, some going in.” He added that he also saw a black Chevrolet Suburban SUV there.

“I never thought anything of it,” said Mendelsohn, who said she had no idea Combs lived there until Monday's report. “But it's crazy right now.”

weapon charge

Although Mr. Combs has had a number of legal problems, he has rarely faced criminal charges.

In 1999, Combs pleaded guilty to assaulting a record company executive and was ordered to undergo one day of anger management. That same year, Combs was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon after a shooting at a New York nightclub.

Witnesses told law enforcement they saw Combs with a firearm at the club and that rapper Shine (real name Moses Barrow) fired into the crowd. Combs was stopped by police in a car with his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, and a gun was found in the car. Mr. Combs was acquitted of weapons and bribery charges, and Mr. Shine was found guilty of club shooting at trial.

The music mogul has been at the center of scrutiny since Ventura's lawsuit and others accused Combs of assault. He resigned as chairman of media network Revolt, and Hulu withdrew from a planned reality series centered on his family.

Diana Dasrath and Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles and Doha Madani and Jonathan Dienst from New York.

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Youth Fair resumes Saturday afternoon, Ultra Music Festival returns for second day after Friday cancellation

MIAMI – Extended periods of heavy rain and strong winds have led to the cancellation of some events in South Florida this weekend.

On Friday, the Youth Fair was canceled and the Ultra Music Festival was canceled that night due to weather. On Saturday morning, the youth fair would reopen at 3 p.m., and Ultra announced that it would resume its music and festival for a second day.

Will Ultra Music Festival return after the first day?

The event started without incident on Friday, but then a tornado watch was issued for all of South Florida, forcing the event to be canceled.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, organizers said: “Severe weather, lightning and high winds. In the interest of safety, Ultra Friday is temporarily canceled. Please remain calm and exit the park now.” Ta.

Around 9 p.m., tens of thousands of people flooded Biscayne Boulevard.

Ultra Music Festival canceled due to weather

This came hours after people from all over the world flocked to the sold-out three-day festival.

Despite the rainy weather, thousands of people lined up for hours to attend the event at Bayfront Park.

Frankie Limon, who arrived in the city from San Antonio for the ultra, said he didn't expect the storm to hit his parade.

“I don't think that's going to stop me. I mean, I'll wear a tank top and have good music and atmosphere as long as the musicians and equipment are safe. Maybe if they want it, they I'd like to go.'Okay, I'm all for it,' he said.

Carmen Berio, from Miami, said rain is in her DNA.

“Because in Miami, there's a party whether it rains or not, and you can still have a good time,” she said.

Berrio said he has been preparing for this moment his whole life.

“It's my first time. I'm really excited. I'm also looking forward to meeting Martin Garrix. He's like my favorite deejay in the world. I've been listening to his music literally since I was about four years old. '' she said.

“I've never been there and I live here so I feel like I have to go,” said Ciara Lawlor, a South Florida native.

“And I was there last year too and it was so much fun,” added Nico Callaghan, another ultra-hustler.

Lawler told CBS News Miami's Nikiya Calero that he decided not to go that night because his Friday withdrawal fee was not refunded. However, she returned on Saturday as Ultra extended the night by an additional hour to make up for the shutdown.

Tornado watch issued for South Florida

Miami-Dade and Broward counties remained under flood watches and wind advisories until Saturday evening.

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center placed South Florida at a Level 1 risk of severe weather with the possibility of heavy rain, flooding, damaging winds, small hail and isolated tornadoes.

South Florida could see 3 to 5 inches of rain, with some areas reaching 6 inches possible.

There was also a Miami Heat game at Caseya Center on Friday night. Although the arena is covered, getting to and from both events can be a nightmare if there is a strong storm.

Hard Rock Stadium also hosts the Miami Open. The game will be played on an outdoor court, and rain could affect the game and the number of spectators. Last year's tournament drew more than 386,000 participants over the two-week event.

The rain will also affect the Florida Renaissance Festival, which is being held at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, and the Miami-Dade Youth Fair, which is being held at the fairgrounds at 112th Avenue and Coral Way, S.C. It will have an impact.

Outdoor events on Friday and Saturday may be postponed or canceled due to expected inclement weather.

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Ultra Music Festival 2024 Day 1 canceled due to bad weather

Jason Corner/GI

Day 1 of Ultra Music Festival 2024 has been canceled due to inclement weather.

Organizers posted an announcement saying, “In the interest of safety, Ultra Friday is temporarily canceled” as thunder and lightning storms and high winds hit the Miami area, where the festival is held at Bayfront Park in the city's downtown. did. Please quietly exit the park now. ”

The announcement was made around 9pm local time on Friday (March 22), just before Dutch producer Hardwell was scheduled to perform on the festival's main stage. The closure forced the festival to end three hours early, and sets by Fischer and Chris Lake, who performed as Under Construction, Armin van Buuren, Amelie Lens, Joris Vaughan and Kolsch, were also canceled due to the weather. “Disappointed not to be able to perform in front of you tonight at Ultra,” Lake wrote on Instagram. Get home safe and I'll see you soon. ”

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Check out the latest videos, charts and news

The festival resumes on Saturday (March 23) and is scheduled to extend until Sunday (March 24). The weather forecast for Miami on Saturday calls for thunderstorms until 3pm local time, followed by partly sunny skies on Sunday.

The Ultra Music Festival draws approximately 55,000 fans per day to Bayfront Park, where Ultra has been held since 2001. According to the festival's reports, the 2023 edition attracted 165,000 attendees from over 100 countries, and 42 million people watched the festival's livestream.

The rest of the Ultra 2024 lineup for the weekend includes David Guetta, Peggy Goo, Eric Pries, Nora Ann Pure, Steve Aoki, Seven Lions, Madeon and San Holo, Calvin Harris, Orbital, and more.

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At least 40 people killed and dozens injured in Moscow concert hall shooting. ISIS claims responsibility

On Friday, several gunmen burst into a large concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow and opened fire on the crowd, killing at least 40 people and injuring more than 100, days after President Vladimir Putin said the venue was set on fire. A brazen attack was carried out. He consolidated his grip on power through a highly orchestrated electoral landslide.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the attack a “huge tragedy” and said state authorities were investigating it as a terrorist attack. The attack, which caused the roof to collapse and a concert hall to burst into flames, was Russia's deadliest attack in years and came as the country's war in Ukraine entered its third year.

The extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on related social media channels. In a statement released by the group's Armaq news agency, the group said it attacked a large Christian gathering in the Russian city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow, leaving hundreds of people dead and injured. The veracity of the claim could not be immediately confirmed.

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A U.S. official told CBS News that the U.S. has information that supports Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the attack and there is no reason to doubt that claim. U.S. officials also acknowledged that the United States had provided information about a potential attack to Russia under its intelligence community warning obligations.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrian Watson confirmed this in a statement provided to CBS News Friday evening.

“Earlier this month, the U.S. government received information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow that may have targeted large gatherings, including concerts, which prompted the State Department to We have issued a public advisory,” Watson said. “The U.S. government also shared this information with Russian authorities, consistent with its long-standing 'duty to warn' policy.”

A U.S. law enforcement official told CBS News there is no known threat to the United States from the Moscow attacks.

Russia's Federal Security Service, the country's main security and counter-terrorism agency, said 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the attack at Crocus Town Hall, a large music hall in Moscow's west end.

According to Russian news agencies, the attackers threw explosives, causing a massive fire in the hall, which can accommodate 6,000 people. Video from outside showed huge plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky and buildings on fire. The streets were lit up with the flashing blue lights of dozens of fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

The attack occurred as a crowd gathered for a performance by the famous Russian rock band Picnic. Russian news reports said concertgoers were evacuated, but an unknown number may have been caught in the fire.

Prosecutors said several men wearing combat fatigues entered the concert hall and opened fire on concertgoers.

A large fire is seen above Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, on Friday, March 22, 2024. Sergey Vedyashkin/AP

Repeated gunshots could be heard in videos posted on Russian media and Telegram channels. One of the images showed two men carrying rifles moving through the venue. Another video showed a man saying his attackers had started a fire inside the auditorium as gunshots rang out in the background.

Other videos showed up to four hat-wearing assailants armed with assault rifles firing at screaming people at close range.

Russian media said the concert hall's security guards were not armed and some may have been killed when the attack began. It was not immediately clear what happened to the attackers, but some Russian media outlets suggested they fled before special forces or riot police arrived.

Russian authorities said security has been stepped up at Moscow's airports, train stations and the capital's vast metro system. Moscow's mayor has canceled all large gatherings, and theaters and museums have been closed for the weekend. Other regions of Russia also tightened security.

Elmrod Usvaliyev/Anadolu, via Getty Images

The Kremlin has not blamed anyone for the attack, but some Russian lawmakers were quick to accuse Ukraine of being behind it. Hours before the attack, Russian forces launched a sweeping barrage on Ukraine's electricity system, crippled the country's largest hydroelectric power plants and other energy facilities and left more than a million people without power.

White House National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby said Friday that he could not yet discuss specifics, but said, “The footage is simply awful. It's painful to watch.”

“Our thoughts are with the victims of this horrific, horrific shooting incident,” Kirby said. “There are mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who haven't received the news yet. It's going to be a tough day.”

The attack follows a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow earlier this month, warning Americans to visit the Russian capital in light of “imminent” plans by extremists to target large rallies in Moscow. The warning was repeated in several other countries, urging people to avoid crowded places. embassy in the west.

Asked about the embassy's notice issued on March 7, Kirby referred the question to the State Department, adding, “I do not believe it is related to this particular attack.”

Asked whether Washington had advance information about the attack, Kirby said, “I don't know if we had advance information about this horrific attack.”

In the early 2000s, Russia was rocked by a series of deadly terrorist attacks during ongoing fighting against separatists in the Russian region of Chechnya.

In October 2002, Chechen militants took approximately 800 people hostage in a Moscow theater. Two days later, Russian special forces stormed the building, killing 129 hostages and 41 Chechen fighters, most of them from the narcotic gas used by Russian forces to subdue the attackers.

Then, in September 2004, about 30 Chechen militants occupied a school in Beslan in southern Russia and took hundreds of hostages. The siege ended in bloodshed two days later, with more than 330 people killed, about half of them children.

CBS News' David Martin, Andy Tryey and Olivia Gazis contributed to this report.

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Moscow concert hall attack: Russia says many killed, over 100 wounded

MOSCOW (AP) — Assailants burst into a large concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing over 60 people, injuring more than 100 and setting fire to the venue in a brazen attack just days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on affiliated channels on social media. A U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had learned the group’s branch in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and shared the information with Russian officials.

It wasn’t immediately clear what happened to the attackers after the raid, which state investigators were investigating as terrorism.

The attack, which left the concert hall in flames with a collapsing roof, was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the country’s war in Ukraine dragged into a third year. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the raid a “huge tragedy.”

The Kremlin said Putin was informed minutes after the assailants burst into Crocus City Hall, a large music venue on Moscow’s western edge that can accommodate 6,200 people.

The attack took place as crowds gathered for a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic. The Investigative Committee, the top state criminal investigation agency, reported early Saturday that more than 60 people were killed. Health authorities released a list of 145 injured — 115 of them hospitalized, including five children.

Some Russian news reports suggested more victims could have been trapped by the blaze that erupted after the assailants threw explosives.

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landlside. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

A man speaks to journalists as a massive blaze seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Video showed the building on fire, with a huge cloud of smoke rising through the night sky. The street was lit up by the blinking blue lights of dozens of firetrucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles, as fire helicopters buzzed overhead to dump water on the blaze that took hours to contain.

The prosecutor’s office said several men in combat fatigues entered the concert hall and fired on concertgoers.

Dave Primov, who was in the hall during the attack, described panic and chaos when the attack began.

“There were volleys of gunfire,” Primov told the AP. “We all got up and tried to move toward the aisles. People began to panic, started to run and collided with each other. Some fell down and others trampled on them.”

Videos posted by Russian media and on messaging app channels showed men toting assault rifles shooting screaming people at point-blank range. One video showed a man in the auditorium saying the assailants had set it on fire, as gunshots rang out incessantly.

Ambulances park near a burning building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

Guards at the concert hall didn’t have guns, and some could have been killed at the start of the attack, Russian media reported. Some Russian news outlets suggested the assailants fled before special forces and riot police arrived. Reports said police patrols were looking for several vehicles the attackers could have used to escape.

In a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, the Islamic State group said it attacked a large gathering of “Christians” in Krasnogorsk on Moscow’s outskirts, killing and wounding hundreds. It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the claim.

However, U.S. intelligence officials confirmed the claim by the Islamic State group’s branch based in Afghanistan that it was responsible for the Moscow attack, a U.S. official told the AP.

The official said U.S. intelligence agencies had gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow. He said U.S. officials privately shared the intelligence earlier this month with Russian officials. The official was briefed on the matter but was not authorized to publicly discuss the intelligence information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Noting that the IS statement cast its claim as an attack targeting Christians, Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, an expert on the terrorist group, said it appeared to reflect the group’s strategy of “striking wherever they can as part of a global ‘fight the infidels and apostates everywhere.’”

In October 2015, a bomb planted by IS downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt. The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russia’s volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of former Soviet Union.

On March 7, Russia’s top security agency said it thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an Islamic State cell, killing several of its members in the Kaluga region near the Russian capital. A few days earlier, Russian authorities said six alleged IS members were killed in a shootout in Ingushetia in Russia’s Caucasus region.

On Friday, statements of outrage, shock and support for those affected by the concert call attack streamed in from around the world.

Some commentators on Russian social media questioned how authorities, who relentlessly surveil and pressure Kremlin critics, failed to identify the threat and prevent the attack.

Russian officials said security was tightened at Moscow’s airports, railway stations and the capital’s sprawling subway system. Moscow’s mayor canceled all mass gatherings, and theaters and museums shut for the weekend. Other Russian regions also tightened security.

The Kremlin didn’t immediately blame anyone for the attack, but some Russian lawmakers were quick to accuse Ukraine and called for ramping up strikes. Hours before the attack, the Russian military l aunched a sweeping barrage on Ukraine’s power system, crippling the country’s biggest hydroelectric plant and other energy facilities and leaving more than a million people without electricity.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, said that if Ukraine involvement was proven, all those involved “must be tracked down and killed without mercy, including officials of the state that committed such outrage.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied Ukraine involvement.

“Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods,” he posted on X. “Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield.”

John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said he couldn’t yet speak about the details but “the images are just horrible. And just hard to watch.”

Friday’s attack followed a statement earlier this month by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow that urged Americans to avoid crowded places in view of “imminent” plans by extremists to target large gatherings in the Russian capital, including concerts. The warning was repeated by several other Western embassies.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said Friday the U.S. government had information about a planned attack in Moscow, prompting the State Department advisory to Americans. The U.S. government shared the information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding “duty to warn” policy, Watson said.

Putin, who extended his grip on Russia for another six years in this week’s presidential vote after a sweeping crackdown on dissent, denounced the Western warnings as an attempt to intimidate Russians. “All that resembles open blackmail and an attempt to frighten and destabilize our society,” he said earlier this week.

Russia was shaken by a series of deadly terror attacks in the early 2000s during the fighting with separatists in the Russian province of Chechnya.

In October 2002, Chechen militants took about 800 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Two days later, Russian special forces stormed the building and 129 hostages and 41 Chechen fighters died, most from effects of narcotic gas Russian forces use to subdue the attackers.

In September 2004, about 30 Chechen militants seized a school in Beslan in southern Russia taking hundreds of hostages. The siege ended in a bloodbath two days later and more than 330 people, about half of them children, were killed.

___

Associate Press writer Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report.

___

This story was updated to correct that John Kirby is a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, not the White House national security adviser.

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Best album released on March 22nd: All songs reviewed: NPR

Waxahatchee's Tigers Blood is one of the best releases coming out on March 22nd. Molly Matalon/Artist provided Hide caption

toggle caption Molly Matalon/Artist provided

Waxahatchee's Tigers Blood is one of the best releases coming out on March 22nd.

Molly Matalon/Artist provided

It's not quite as packed with big names as last week, but we're also digging into a solid selection of great albums. New Music This week on his Friday episode, NPR Music's Dowd opens with his Tyler Ameen and Stephen Thompson, singer more sure and powerful than ever with his songs his writer, Waxahatchee's Katie his Crutchfield's latest album , the Tigers praised his Brad.

Plus, the inescapably catchy global pop of South African singer Tyla, the genre-defying roots music of Sierra Ferrell, the indescribable electronic work of Jlin, and more.

Featured albums:

1. Waxahatchee, Tiger's Blood
2. Tyra, Tyra
3. Sierra Ferrell “Flower Road”
4. Acoma Zirin

Other notable releases for March 22:

• Rosie Tucker, Utopia Now!
• Empress, for your information.
• Adrianne Lenker, “A Bright Future”
• Jesus and Mary Chain, Glasgow Eyes
• Future and Metro Boomin, we don't trust you
• SiR, heavy
• Tatiana, it's over.
• Good morning, Seven
• Lucas Debargue, Fauré's Complete Piano Solo Works
• Aoife O'Donovan, All My Friends
• Osborne Brothers, Blake Mine
• Cake da Quira, Black Sheep
• Crepe Girl, STARGAZING
• Dylan Gossett “Songs in the Gravel”
• Matt Champion (Brockhampton), Mika's Laundry
• Fletcher in search of an antidote
• Gary Clark Jr., JPEG RAW
• Glass beam, Mahal
• Gossip, real power.
• Illiterate Light, Slow Down Time EP
• Ivan Llanes, “La vida misma”
• Julia Holter, Something in the Room She Moves
• Kalea Lee, Birdwatcher
• Kenya Grace, The After Taste
• Magic Tuber String Band, Needle Fall
• EP fed by time and catching chickens
• Prefuse 73, New Strategies of Modern Crime Vol. 1
• Repair, repair
• Rosali bites.
• Psychobab, NRTYA
• Before the Salt Cathedral is gone
• Shakira, Las Mujeres La No Jolan
• Soul Clap, EcoSystemS
• American nails make me sick.
• Village rrr, tear my heart out.

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Tennessee becomes first state to pass law protecting musicians from AI

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill Thursday aimed at protecting songwriters, performers and other music industry professionals from the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

The move makes Tennessee, the birthplace of country music and long known as the launching pad for musical legends, the first state in the United States to enact such a measure. The goal, supporters say, is to prevent AI tools from replicating an artist's voice without the artist's consent. The bill will go into effect on July 1st.

“Tennessee employs more people in the music industry than any other state,” Lee told reporters shortly after signing the bill. “Artists have intellectual property. They have talent. They have their own uniqueness, not artificial intelligence.”

From left: Congressman William Lamberth, country star Luke Bryan, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, songwriter Chris Janson, and music at the Signing of the Portrait, Voice, and Image Protection Act in Nashville. industry executive Mitch Glazier and Senator Jack Johnson. “The Elvis Method.”Jason Kempin/Getty Images

The Volunteer State is just one of three states where name, photograph and likeness are considered property rights rather than publicity rights. Voice likenesses will be added to that list, according to a newly signed law called the Portrait, Sound, and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act.

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The law also creates new civil lawsuits for those who publish or perform an individual's voice without permission or use technology to create an artist's name, photograph, voice, or likeness without proper authorization. .

But it remains to be seen how effective this law will be for artists who want to prevent their art from being scraped and copied by AI without their permission. Advocates like Lee acknowledged that despite full support from music industry officials and unanimous approval from the Tennessee General Assembly, the bill is untested. This level of bipartisan agreement is a shocking anomaly as the Republican supermajority and minority Democrats continue to clash.

Many Tennessee musicians say they can't afford to wait for the perfect solution, pointing out that AI threats are already starting to appear on cell phones and recording studios.

Country star Luke Bryan said, “Something comes into your phone and you don't know it's not you.” “It's a really serious situation right now, and we hope this will contain it and slow it down.”

The Republican governor held a bill-signing event to a packed house inside Robert's Western World in the heart of Lower Broadway in Nashville. Popular honky-tonks are filled with tourists listening to traditional country music and eating fried bologna sandwiches.

Naming the new ordinance after Elvis Presley wasn't just a nod to one of the state's most iconic residents.

Presley's death in 1977 sparked a long and controversial legal battle over the unauthorized use of his name and likeness, as many argued that when a celebrity dies, their name and image become public domain.

However, by 1984, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Personal Rights Protection Act, ensuring that personality rights do not end at death and can be inherited by others. The law states that “personal rights… constitute property rights, may be freely transferred and licensed, and do not expire upon the death of the protected individual.”

The move was primarily seen as important for protecting Presley's estate, but in the decades since, it has also been praised as protecting the names, photographs, and likenesses of all public figures in Tennessee. has been done.

Now, Tennessee adds voice similarity to these protections.

More from CBS News

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Tennessee becomes first state to protect musicians and other artists from AI

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation Thursday aimed at protecting songwriters, performers and other music industry professionals from the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. did.

The move makes Tennessee, the birthplace of country music and long known as the launching pad for musical legends, the first state in the United States to enact such a measure. The goal, supporters say, is to prevent AI tools from replicating an artist's voice without the artist's consent. The bill will go into effect on July 1st.

“Tennessee employs more people in the music industry than any other state,” Lee told reporters shortly after signing the bill. “Artists have intellectual property. They have a gift. They have their own uniqueness and are in no way artificial intelligence.”

The Volunteer State is just one of three states where name, photograph and likeness are considered property rights rather than publicity rights. Voice likenesses will be added to that list, according to a newly signed law called the Portrait, Sound, and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act.

AP correspondent Margie Charoleta reports on Tennessee's law protecting musicians in the age of artificial intelligence.

The law also creates new civil lawsuits for those who publish or perform an individual's voice without permission or use technology to create an artist's name, photograph, voice, or likeness without proper authorization. .

But it remains to be seen how effective this law will be for artists who want to protect their art from being scraped and copied by AI without their permission. Advocates like Lee acknowledged that despite full support from music industry officials and unanimous approval from the Tennessee General Assembly, the bill remains untested. This level of bipartisan agreement is a shocking anomaly at a time when conflicts continue between the Republican supermajority and the Democratic minority.

Many Tennessee musicians say they can't afford to wait for the perfect solution, pointing out that AI threats are already starting to appear on cell phones and recording studios.

Country star Luke Bryan said, “Something comes into your phone and you don't know it's not you.” “It's a really serious situation right now, and we hope this will contain it and slow it down.”

The Republican governor held a bill-signing event to a packed house at the Robert Western World in the heart of Lower Broadway in Nashville. Popular honky-tonks are filled with tourists listening to traditional country music and eating fried bologna sandwiches.

While other lawmakers discussed their weekend stops at the iconic establishment, Lee joked that he and his wife, Maria, sometimes sneak into Robert's incognito for dates.

Naming the new ordinance after Elvis Presley wasn't just a nod to one of the state's most iconic residents.

Presley's death in 1977 sparked a long and controversial legal battle over the unauthorized use of his name and likeness, as many argued that when a celebrity dies, their name and image become public domain.

However, by 1984, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Personal Rights Protection Act, ensuring that personality rights do not end at death and can be inherited by others. The law states that “personal rights… constitute property rights, may be freely transferred and licensed, and do not expire upon the death of the protected individual.”

The move was seen as important primarily to protect Presley's estate, but in the decades since, it has also been praised for protecting the names, photos and likenesses of all Tennessee public figures. .

Now, Tennessee adds voice similarity to these protections.

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