Travis Scott absolutely devastated after stampede kills eight fans during festival set

Updated November 7, 2021 â€" 6.55amfirst published November 6, 2021 â€" 6.11pm

Houston: At least eight people were killed and many were injured in a crush when fans surged toward the stage during rap star Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas, on Friday local time, officials said.

The disaster unfolded at NRG Park at around 9pm on Friday (US time) during the headline performance by Scott, a Grammy-nominated singer and producer, following an escalation of unruly behaviour reported by members of the crowd and police.

A still from US television shows the crowd rushing through the gates towards the stage. Credit:KHOU TV

As some in the sold-out audience of about 50,000 surged toward the stage, people began to fall unconscious, some apparently suffering cardiac arrest or other medical issues, officials told reporters outside the venue. Minutes later the chaos was declared a “mass casualty incident.”

“It happened all at once. It seemed like it just happened ... over the course of just a few minutes,” said Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite.

Satterwhite said he immediately met with promoters, and they agreed to halt the show “in the interest of public safety.”

Police Chief Troy Finner said investigators had yet to determine what triggered the deadly surge, but he said police were aware of “rumours of people injecting some people with drugs” in the crowd, “so I want to check all that out.”

The crowd watches as Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday night. Credit:

Seventeen victims were taken by ambulance to hospitals after the crush began, 11 of whom were in cardiac arrest, according to city Fire Chief Samuel Peña, but it was unclear whether that number included any of the eight confirmed fatalities.

He added that some 300 people were treated at an on-site “field hospital” for various injuries and illnesses suffered throughout the day unrelated to the deadly crowd surge, which he said left “scores” of people hurt. One was 10 years old, Pena said.

Houston-born Scott said he would support the police as they investigate the incident and wanted to help the community heal.

“I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” Scott wrote on Twitter. “Love You All.”

Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday before the tragedy unfolded. Credit:

It was not yet clear what caused the disaster. An investigation was underway that is likely to focus on security and safety protocols at the event.

The annual music festival, named after Scott’s studio album, began in 2018 but was halted during the coronavirus pandemic last year.

Texas-born Scott unveiled the lineup in October, with artists including Lil Baby and Drake performing on Friday. Reality TV star Kylie Jenner, who has a child with Scott, was also in attendance, according to her Instagram posts.

Drake had joined Travis Scott on-stage at the concert â€" which was live-streamed by Apple Music â€" and posted photos to Instagram after the performance.

Emergency personnel respond to the chaotic scenes. Credit:

Video shows a huge crowd rush as hundreds of people raced to get into the event and close to the stage. The show was called off shortly after.

“The crowd began to compress towards the front of the stage and that caused some panic and it started causing some injuries,” Pena said.

“People began to fall out, become unconscious, and it created additional panic.”

It was not yet clear what caused the disaster and Houston Police Chief Troy Finner asked people not to speculate.

“Nobody has all the answers tonight,” he said. “We have hurting families out here.”

Finner said more than 350 police officers had been at the event throughout the day, as well as 241 security personnel.

The Houston Chronicle said Scott stopped multiple times during his 75-minute performance when he saw fans distressed near the front of the stage.

He asked security to make sure they were OK and help them out of the crowd. Emergency vehicles, lights and alarms flashing, cut through the crowds several times.

In a video posted to social media, Scott could be seen stopping the concert and asking for aid for someone in the audience: “Security, somebody help real quick.”

Travis Scott performs on day one of the Astroworld festival in Houston on Friday.Credit:AP

Albert Merza, 43, a supermarket manager who was part of a group of eight people from Detroit attending the festival, recounted seeing “a lot of drinking and crazy behavior.”

“It felt like a riot,” he said, adding that it appeared about half the crowd were under age 21. “There were people throwing out stuff, objects flying everywhere.”

Nick Johnson, 17, said he witnessed a steady rise of disruptive behaviour before the stampede.

“It was going on for over two hours, and it just got worse and worse (until) you just can’t breathe,” he said.

An incident earlier in the day in which fans started “rushing” the festival gates was brought under control relatively quickly, said Finner, the police chief, adding: “I don’t think this incident is related to the incident that caused the deaths.”

A crowd of 50,000 showed up for the two-day event, the Chronicle reported. The festival had been sold out, according to the official website.

The second day has been cancelled.

The deadly surge was the most deaths at a US concert since the 2003 Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people in Rhode Island.

Eleven people died and about two dozen were injured in 1979 at a concert for The Who as thousands of fans tried to get into Cincinnati’s riverfront coliseum.

With Reuters, AP, Washington Post

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