Schoolboy hero of Moscow bloodbath: 15-year-old working part time in cloakroom of concert venue is hailed for his heroics after guiding more than 100 people to safety down emergency exit

A schoolboy has been hailed a hero for rescuing more than 100 people from the Moscow massacre.

As terrorists started shooting concert-goers on Friday, 15-year-old Islam Khalilov was working in his part-time job as a cloakroom attendant at the Crocus City Hall venue in Moscow.

The courageous boy remained calm - despite seeing a man get shot right in front of him - and guided terrified people fleeing from the gunmen to the emergency exits, saving dozens of lives.

His bravery and quick-thinking came to light as Russia holds a day of national mourning for the people - including three children - who died in the horror.

Russian state TV editor Margarita Simonyan said earlier today the death toll had climbed to 143, but did not give the source of her information. 

As terrorists started shooting concert-goers on Friday, 15-year-old Islam Khalilov (pictured) was working in his part-time job as a cloakroom attendant at the Crocus City Hall venue in Moscow

Footage from the concert venue showed panicked attendees running for their lives in the foyer of the Crocus City Hall

Hundreds of people gathered at the concert hall today to pay their respects and lay down flowers as Russia declared a national day of mourning

The condition of 44 survivors - including two children - is described as 'serious', while that of 16 other victims, including one child, is 'extremely serious'. 

The British Embassy in Moscow and consulate in Yekaterinburg lowered their flags 'to mourn with the Russian people the victims of the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall'.

New footage also emerged of people making barricades from cafe chairs as they sought to avoid being gunned down by the brutal killers.

Separately, a new video also appeared of Russian troops kicking and beating a terrorist suspect when he was detained in Bryansk region.

Schoolboy Islam was seen is separate footage, which showed him guiding the fleeing crowd out via an emergency stairway.

'That way, that way, that way,' he shouts. 'Everybody go that way. Everybody over there. To the Expo, to the Expo….'

Islam said: 'At first we heard some strange sounds on the first floor. We thought maybe some noisy group had come.'

Then he saw people start running in terror. He saw a man being shot in front of him - and knew he had to escape, and help others.

He said: 'I understood that if I didn't react, I would lose my life and the lives of many people,' he said. 'Honestly, it was very scary.'

He shouted and signalled to the frightened and panic-struck people to follow him.

'When I was in the crowd of people, walking to the door to open it, I thought [the gunmen] might come out of the stairs or from the escalator, and throw a grenade or open lethal fire.

'Thank God, nothing happened. I managed to open the door in time and let everyone out towards the Expo.'

The teenage saviour led more than 100 people to the [Crocus] Expo entrance in an adjacent building.

Islam (pictured) said: 'That all this happened before my eyes. To be honest, I'm still in a state of shock. A man was shot right in front of me, I can't stop thinking about it'

Panic broke out in the foyer of the Crocus City Hall in Moscow as the shooting started on Friday

Russian media share pictures of four suspected terrorists, in the Crocus concert hall massacre in Moscow, giving their names as (clockwise from the left) Makhmadrasul Nasridinov, 27, Rivozhidin Ismonov, 51, Shokhindzhonn Safolzoda, 21, Rustam Nazarov, 29

Fire rises above the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue after gunmen stormed the building and set parts of it on fire

Schoolboy Islam was seen is separate footage, which showed him guiding the fleeing crowd out via an emergency stairway. 'That way, that way, that way,' he shouts. 'Everybody go that way. Everybody over there. To the Expo, to the Expo….'

Image of the suspected gunmen who opened fire at Crocus City Hall, in Krasnogorsk, Moscow

A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial to the victims of a shooting attack set up outside the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the Moscow Region, Russia, March 24

A keen footballer, Islam himself walked last to make sure no one was left behind.

He explained: 'We were shown and told where to send people if something happened. I knew where to take people to keep them safe.'

He revealed his mother was in shock over the horror and cried because of what her son had to go through.

Islam added: 'That all this happened before my eyes. To be honest, I'm still in a state of shock. A man was shot right in front of me, I can't stop thinking about it.'

The schoolboy, a Muslim, is expected to be honoured by Russian law enforcement.

The spiritual leader of Russian Muslims, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, is separately presenting a medal to him.

An offshoot of ISIS is seen by many as being behind the attack in which a total of 285 people, including eight children, were victims.