How 15-year-old Islam saved over 100 people by guiding them

In the horror of terrorist attacks, heroes often emerge. One would undoubtedly be young Islam Khalilov from Moscow. The 15-year-old working in the Crocus City Hall locker room undoubtedly saved nearly a hundred people Friday evening from the bullets of terrorists, who in the process killed at least 137 Russians, including 3 children. “Russian Bataclan” Claimed by the Islamic State. “I left no one behind” A young lad on Russian television Zvezda News, assures without an ounce of pride.

On the evening of March 22, Islam, an employee of Crocus Town Hall, was assigned to the changing room of the concert hall. When four terrorists enter the performance hall and start shooting at the crowd, Kishore first thinks it’s a drunken group making noise. “When people started running towards the escalator, I realized there was an attack.” He told Russian television. “At that moment, instinct kicked in (…). I understood that if I remained in shock, I could lose my life and hundreds of people.

“Everybody there!”

In general panic, Islam keeps its cool. He starts harassing the public in the hall showing the escape route. “This way, this way, this way!” We hear him shouting on a video he took of himself using his phone, which he holds in one hand, as he leads dozens of people down a corridor to an emergency exit. “Everybody goes through this! Everyone’s there!”He pleads with the fugitives, taking care to raise the latter themselves.

In an interview by Russian television on Sunday, the young boy, dressed in a sweatshirt, explained that he had followed instructions given to the institute’s staff to act in an emergency. He does not consider himself to have acted as a hero, but he does “Just did his job”.

His courage has been praised by the international press. In his community, one of the local leaders of the Muslim community, Mufti Cheikh Rawil Gounutuddin, gave him an award to salute his gesture.