Travis Scott plays at the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park in Houston on November 5.
At least 8 people, adding two minors, were killed and dozens more were injured at the Astroworld music festival in Texas on Friday night after the crowd rushed to the stage, he said.
The other 8 people who died included a 14-year-old, a 16-year-old, two 21-year-old, two 23-year-old and a 27-year-old, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Saturday. the age of the victim has not yet been determined.
Around nine o’clock in the evening, on rapper Travis Scott’s set at the sold-out concert in Houston, the crowd “began to compress in front of the stage,” Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said at a news convention Friday night.
“It caused some panic and injuries. People fell, lost consciousness and that created more panic,” he said.
The “massive incident” occurred around 9:38 p. m, Peña said. Twenty-five other people were taken to hospitals, 11 of whom suffered cardiac arrest.
As of Saturday, Turner said, thirteen other people remained hospitalized, adding five others under the age of 18. A 10-year-old boy is in critical condition.
Houston Deputy Executive Director Larry Satterwhite, who was leading the crowd, said Friday that the incident involving many victims “appeared to have occurred in a matter of minutes. “
“Suddenly, we had several other people on the floor who suffered some kind of cardiac arrest or some kind of medical episode. We without delay doing CPR and moving other people at that time,” he said.
Satterwhite said he then went to meet with the promoters of the occasion and Live Nation, the organizer, and that they “agreed to end early in the interest of public safety. “
The concert video shows Scott, who is performing, stops his display when an ambulance makes its way through the crowd. “What is that?” he said, pointing to the ambulance.
Scott’s girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, who was at the concert and shared videos from the back of the audience, also gave the impression of capturing an emergency vehicle rolling slowly through the large crowd.
The rapper addressed the incident on a Saturday and said he was “absolutely devastated” by what had happened the night before.
“My prayers are with the families and with everyone who has been touched by what happened at the Astroworld Festival,” Scott said. “The Houston Police Department has my full as they continue to investigate the tragic loss of life. “
It is not known precisely what happened that led to the dead and wounded, and officials suggested others not to speculate. Peña said the medical examiner is investigating the cause of death of the other 8 people killed.
“Our hearts are broken,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalpass said. “People go to those occasions in search of a smart moment, a possibility to relax, to create memories. It’s the kind of occasion where you expect to notice deaths. “
Although organizers of the occasion had medical and shipping teams at the scene, Peña said, they were “quickly hit when the crowd began to fall,” prompting dozens of sets of chimneys to interfere and help. More than three hundred people were treated at the box’s hospital.
Authorities said another 50,000 people were provided at the concert when the incident occurred. Peña told reporters Saturday that there is no occupancy permit for an outdoor event. than another 200,000 people, but it is limited to 50,000.
An annual music festival produced through Scott, this year’s Astroworld event, headlined by the Houston rapper, sold out in less than an hour when tickets came out in May. About 100,000 more people were expected, Variety reported last year due to the pandemic.
Emergency response to the Astroworld music festival in Houston on Friday, November 5, 2021.
Addressing the tragedy early Saturday morning, organizers said they supported local officials in their investigation. Saturday’s concert was cancelled.
SZA, who played before Scott’s set, tweeted Saturday that he “ran out of speech because of last night. “
She wrote: “I’m surprised and don’t even know what to say. . . I only pray for everyone in Houston, especially for the families of those who lost their lives. “
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state Department of Public Safety would conduct the investigation.
Authorities said at Saturday’s press convention that there were 528 police officers offering security, in addition to 755 security guards, according to Live Nation.
“This has happened to us in Houston since I’ve been a police officer,” said police leader Troy Finner.
An alleged account of Friday night’s events added that someone in the crowd injected drugs into other people. Medical staff examined the officer, who lost consciousness, and administered Narcan to him, Finner said. The police leader said the bite to the police officer’s neck was similar to that of an injection.
He suggested others “follow the facts and evidence” and spread unfounded rumors circulating on social media out of respect for families.