GUNFIRE AND EXPLOSIONS

Kenyan police chief Joseph Boinnet said the attack began around 3 pm with an explosion targeting cars outside a bank followed by a detonation from a suicide bomber in the hotel lobby. As he spoke, a Reuters reporter on the scene reported heavy gunfire, then an explosion shortly afterwards.

Surveillance video showed three attackers dressed in black running across the parking lot at 3:30 p.m. shortly followed by a fourth. At least two of the men were wearing green scarves in the close-up footage. One appeared to be wearing a green belt with grenades in it.

Two Kenyans in their early 30's working with governance consultants Adam Smith International were among the dead, a family member said. Both had young families, she said.

A Spanish national was among the injured, a Spanish diplomat told Reuters.

The U.S. Embassy had offered assistance, a State Department official said.

"We are working with the Kenyan authorities to determine if there are any U.S. citizens affected," the official said, adding all American diplomats were safe.

A woman shot in the leg was carried out of the complex, and three men emerged covered in blood. Some office workers climbed out of windows. Many told Reuters they had had to leave colleagues behind, still huddled under their desks.

"There's a grenade in the bathroom," one officer yelled as police rushed out from one building.

Geoffrey Otieno, who works at a beauty salon in the complex, said he heard a loud bang from something thrown inside the building, then saw shattered glass.

"We hid until we were rescued," he said.

Meanwhile, Simon Crump, an Australian who works for an international firm in the complex, barricaded himself inside a spare room with two other people. They waited there for about 2-1/2 hours for help to arrive, their minds racing.

"You’re hiding under a desk trying to figure out what’s going on, and you just don’t know, as there’s so much misinformation," he said.

When soldiers finally reached the group, they instructed them to put their phones away and put their hands in the air as they made their way to safety.