Astroworld staff was told to refer to the deceased victims of the crowd surge that happened on the 5th of November as “smurfs.” This is according to a 56-page report obtained by CNN and one of the Astroworld concert promoters. His name is Scoremore.
The document highlighted the various instructions directed towards staff in response to different situations at the fatal event. Over 50,000 fans flocked to the NRG Park in Houston to attend the two-day festival. However, things soon took a grim twist as eight people lost their lives while many others were injured after a deadly crowd surge. Among the victims were teenagers as young as 14 and 16.
Astroworld Concert “Smurf Guidelines”
The document states that Astroworld staff is to refer to the deceased victims as “smurfs” and to refrain from using the term “dead” or “deceased.” It’s unclear why they chose that specific term, but it is indeed puzzling. An Instagram user named @nuksantiago revealed in a video that he saw victims turn “black and blue,” as people tried to resuscitate them.
Other guidelines in the text include safety measures for instances, such as handling evidence. What’s surprising is that the document doesn’t offer any protocols or safety measures in case of a crowd surge. This is in light of a similar incident in November 2019, where three concertgoers ended up in the hospital.
In other news, Travis Scott announced that he would cater to the funeral costs for the victims losing their lives at the festival. The rapper also added, he would be partnering with BetterHelp to provide free mental health services for victims and their families. The rapper also promised to issue refunds to the attendees after the cancellation of the festival on November 6th. He also canceled his performance scheduled on the 13th at Day N Vegas.
Written by Sheila Maina
Twitter: @nazlin_sheila
