manchester-attack
A British police officer escorts walking casualties away from the Manchester Arena stadium in Manchester, United Kingdom on May 23, 2017. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. May 23, 2017: A Caribbean-born celebrity was among those two took to Twitter last night to express condolences at the shocking terror attack at a Manchester arena in the U.K. following an Ariana Grande concert.

Trinidad-born rapper Nicki Minaj, fresh from her Billboard Awards performance Sunday night, took to Twitter to tweet: “My heart hurts for my sister, Ariana & every family affected by this tragic event in the U.K. Innocent lives lost. I’m so sorry to hear this.”

Minaj was one of several international celebrities voicing concern at the horror but only the first from the Caribbean.

Grande for her part tweeted:  “broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so sorry.”

Nicki Minaj's 2017 Billboard Performance. (Twitter image)
Nicki Minaj’s 2017 Billboard Performance. (Twitter image)

At least 19 people are dead and almost 60 injured in what UK police are treating as a terrorist incident. The explosion, reportedly a nail bomb, occurred as concertgoers — many of them young fans of the singer — were beginning to leave the arena after Grande’s closing set. A man at the scene was identified as the possible suicide bomber.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May called the incident an “appalling terrorist attack.”

Universal Music Group, parent company for Grande’s record label, Republic Records, posted a statement on Facebook that read: “We are deeply saddened to learn of tonight’s devastating event in Manchester. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy.”