The First Known Victims of the Manchester Bombing Are Young Girls

The first two known victims of the Manchester bombing that left at least 22 people dead are both young girls.

The bombing took place at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. The first named victim of the atrocity was 18-year-old Georgina Callander, a student at nearby Runshaw College. The second was Saffie Rose Roussos, who was just 8 years old.

“It is with enormous sadness that it appears that one of the people who lost their lives in Monday’s Manchester attack was one of our students here at Runshaw College,” the school wrote on Facebook early Tuesday morning:

Georgina Callander was a former Bishop Rawstorne pupil studying with us on the second year of her Health and Social Care course.

Our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Georgina’s friends, family, and all of those affected by this loss.

Callander reportedly died in the hospital with her mother at her side. She was described as an Ariana Grande “superfan” by friends, and had tweeted to Grande’s account one day before the concert, telling the pop star she was “so excited” to see her at the show.

Across social media, Callander’s friends began sharing pictures and memories in tribute.

On her Instagram page, Callander can be seen posing with dozens stars from TV shows like ABC’s Once Upon a Time, and Agent Carter, urging followers to buy Grande’s Dangerous Woman album, and sharing an excited screenshot of a tweet liked by Grande, calling it the “best day ever.”

In 2015, Callander met her idol, posting pictures of the two of them and a friend posing together during a stop on Grande’s “Honeymoon Tour.”

“I hugged her so tight, and she said she loved my bow,” Callander wrote. “I can’t get over this I never will.”

The second named victim, 8-year-old Saffie Roussos, was mourned by the head teacher at her school, Chris Upton.

“News of Saffie’s death in this appalling attack has come as a tremendous shock to all of us and I would like to send our deepest condolences to all of her family and friends,” Upton said. “The thought that anyone could go out to a concert and not come home is heartbreaking. Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone and her warmth and kindness will be remembered fondly. Saffie was quiet and unassuming with a creative flair.”