Mom, daughter hit by shrapnel after leaving Manchester Arena

ByKELLY MCCARTHY ABCNews logo
Wednesday, May 24, 2017

A mother and daughter narrowly escaped Monday's attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, after being hit with shrapnel from the deadly explosion.

"I didn't even know I'd been hit. I was just screaming," Lizzie Murtagh told ABC News' Amy Robach. "It ripped through my jeans ... The back of my leg was covered in blood."

Murtagh and her daughter Olivia, 12, recounted the chaotic moments as they were leaving the arena. Murtagh said they heard "the biggest bang" in the foyer and "knew it was a bomb."

"Through the noise, I just knew, I knew it was a bomb. You could tell. The noise was that loud," she said.

The explosion killed 22 people and injured at least 64 others. Children as young as 8 were among the dead.

"There was blood everywhere and people on the floor and loads of kids crying," Olivia said. "I thought there was another one that was going to go off, so I was really scared."

Murtagh said she immediately grabbed her daughter and ran toward an exit.

"I was dragging her out of there, and then my shoe snapped. I was just running as fast as I could," she recalled.

Murtagh then flagged down a taxi, begging the driver to let them and three other concertgoers inside. That's when she saw the blood and realized they had been hit by shrapnel.

The two were treated for their injuries and are expected to fully recover, they told ABC News. They said they are lucky to be among the survivors.

Police announced that three arrests have been made in connection with the attack. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

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