This is an absolute worst nightmare when you are at a crowded concert. At Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival eight people have died and dozens more hurt after the crowd began pushing towards the stage during Scott’s set.
The festival took place Friday night, November 5, at NRG Park in Houston. According to Houston Police, 50,000 people were estimated to be there, but according to video, there may have been some who broke in without tickets, adding to capacity.
As we were arriving to the Astroworld Festival at NRG Park right at 2:00, a stampede burst through the gates. Hundreds of people destroyed the VIP security entrance, bypassing the checkpoint. People were trampled. Some were detained.
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— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) November 5, 2021
The cause of death is still being determined, but according to the fire chief Samuel Peña Twenty-three people were taken to nearby hospitals by emergency responders. Of those patients, 11 were in cardiac arrest. Over 300 people were treated at a “field hospital” at the site, he said.
“The crowd began to compress towards the front of the stage, and that caused some panic, and it started causing some injuries,” Peña said during a press conference via the New York Times. “People began to fall out, become unconscious, and it created additional panic.”
According to Houston station ABC13, the crowd began to surge when Drake made a surprise appearance with Travis Scott at the festival. One fire department official told them the incident “seemed like it happened over the course of just a few minutes.”
“It was like hell,” said Nick Johnson, 17, said via the NY Times on Saturday morning. “Everybody was just in the back, trying to rush to the front.”
Astroworld released a statement today, saying, “Our hearts are with the Astroworld Festival family tonight — especially those we lost and their loved ones.” They also mention they are “supporting local officials however we can.” Day two of the festival has been cancelled, obviously.
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“I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night,” Travis Scott said in a statement. “My prayers go out to the families ad all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival. Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life. I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you to Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support. Love You All.”
The show was streamed on Apple Music, so there are plenty of videos from the concert, including fan-taken phone clips as well. There needs to be accountability so this doesn’t happen again. You should feel safe when going out to a festival or concert. Not fear you may get crushed by an overwhelming crowd.
