Source: Rick Kern / Getty
At least eight people have been confirmed dead and dozens injured following the Astroworld Festival on Friday (November 5).
In a tweet following her press conference, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo confirmed the events of the night were a “tragedy.”
“There was a terrible tragedy tonight with 8 deaths & 300+ injuries at Astroworld at NRG Park,” she wrote. “Right now, please spread the word: we’ve established a reunification center at Wyndham Houston at 8686 Kirby for anyone looking for missing #AstroWorld attendees. Investigation ongoing.”
“We had scores of individuals that were injured,” Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña said during a news conference early Saturday morning.
Reports of mass stampedes have made their way online, however, the cause of deaths are pending the medical examiner’s determination, Peña added, describing the events that unfolded as a “mass casualty” incident, noting that the crowd of 50,000 people began to “to compress toward the front of the stage” around 9:00-9:15 p.m.
A video shared on social media shows scores of people forcing their way through an entry point in order to gain access to the event. Police on horseback and on foot appear overwhelmed as they attempt to maintain order.
https://twitter.com/Sm_Tritip/status/1456861695570165764?s=20
However, the Twitter clip pales in comparison to the massive crowd that grew as the festival continued on into the night.
According to Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, event organizers halted the show when it was clear that multiple people were injured. The decision was then made to cancel the rest of the festival, as the area went from a music gathering to a crime scene.
“At some point, the show was stopped when the crowd was surging,” Finner said. “There are a lot of rumors going around.. We have hurting families out here.”
A message was shared to the Astroworld Fest Instagram account early Saturday confirming day two of the festival was canceled and offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
“Our hearts are with the Astroworld Festival family tonight – especially those we lost and their loved one,” the statement began. “We are focused on supporting local officials however we can. With that in mind the festival will no longer be held on Saturday.
As authorities mentioned in their press conference earlier, they are looking into the series of cardiac arrests that took place. If you have any relevant information on this, please reach out to @HoustonPolice. Thank you to our partners at the Houston Police Department, Fire Department, and NRG Park for their response and support.”
Scott broke his silence early Saturday, praying for the victims who lost their lives and said he would fully work to help heal the community.
At Least 8 Dead, Several Injured At Astroworld Festival was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
