The Astroworld Festival in Houston, TX has come to a screeching halt. At least eight people died, dozens needed emergency care, and hundreds more went to the hospital with injuries. Unfortunately, the magnitude of unruliness was at an all time high.
About 50,000 people attended the event. “The crowd for whatever reason began to push and surge towards the front of the stage, which caused the people in the front to be compressed,” Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña told CNN. “They were unable to escape that situation,” The most deaths happened after 9:30 p.m, but Peña also said that more than 300 people got treatment at the event’s field hospital.
⚠️🇺🇸#URGENT: Multiple injuries reported at Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, Texas#Houston l #TX A large medical response is underway at NRG Park for ‘several patients’. Disturbing footage from the scene shows EMS performing CPR on three patients. Gathering more details! pic.twitter.com/5LPUHX7pnz
According to the EMS report, more than 50 people needed emergency care. Injuries included overdose, heat exhaustion, alcohol poisoning, and compressive asphyxiation.
“Once we started having the mass casualty incident, they were starting CPR on several people,” HPD Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite said. “It happened all at once.” “It seemed like it happened over just a few minutes. Suddenly, we had several people down on the ground experiencing some type of cardiac arrest or some type of medical episode.”
Authorities say medics were overwhelmed with injured attendees. There is also a video circulating on social media with two Caucasian adolescents climbing on a driving emergency car. Thus preventing it from accessing those needing treatment.
People were really jumping on the cars of security personnel when they were trying to get to unconscious people in the crowd. This shit is disgusting. Look at these weirdos. #ASTROWORLDFestpic.twitter.com/Ctc0cvgBUV
“Who asked me to stop? You know what you came here to do”- Travis Scott During The Show
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner states the organizers ended the show early due to the area’s heavy police and fire department activity. Finner also claims Travis Scott and LiveNation stopped the show once they realized that people were injured.
However, the visitors of the Astroworld Festival also claim that Travis Scott would not stop the show, even after the stampede started. “MOTHERFUCKER THE WHOLE CROWD ASKED YOU TO STOP BECAUSE YOUR FANS WERE DYING,” @JonghoJiddies wrote on Twitter.
Promoters canceled the remainder of the festival. The area has now been declared a crime scene. Investigators are now identifying the victims in hospitals. However, the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death. Subsequently, families are encourage to reach out for missing festival attendees.
The Astroworld Festival organizers released an official statement:
