8 dead in stampede at Astroworld Music Festival in Houston
Eight people were killed and several more injured in a stampede during a sold-out hip-hop music festival in Houston, Texas, the fire department said.
Ambulances and firefighters were called in after multiple injuries were reported on the opening night of the Astroworld Music Festival.
“We have eight confirmed fatalities at this point,” Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena told reporters, adding that overall, 23 people were transported from the scene.
“The crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, and people began to panic,” Pena said.
A video on social media shows paramedics performing CPR on several people who are lying on the ground outside the stage, as loud music continues to play in the background.
⚠️🇺🇸#URGENT: Multiple injuries reported at Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, Texas#Houston l #TXA 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
— Intel Point ALERT (@IntelPointAlert) November 6, 2021
Multiple people have been taken to an area hospital in the Houston, Texas area after sustaining injuries at #ASTROWORLDFest, according to @KHOU. Video shared on Instagram Stories shows first responders performing life-saving measures on attendees. pic.twitter.com/oOLH0AU2QU
— Malik Earnest (@MalikEarnest) November 6, 2021
Security issues were a matter of concern even before the event had begun. Local media reported that multiple people were trampled after hundreds stormed into NRG Stadium, pushing back security barricades.
The Houston Chronicle said some disorderly concertgoers were detained by police at the entrance.
They smoked VIP #Astroworldpic.twitter.com/AYvjKT8VBY
— BMoore (@BrennonMoore34) November 5, 2021
The merch line at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival 👀pic.twitter.com/DNXD0ESo8i
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) November 5, 2021
An ABC13 reporter filmed fans breaching the perimeter before the concert began and tearing down metal detectors.
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. (Excuse any language you may hear) pic.twitter.com/d0m2rjqAAk
— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) November 5, 2021
Another video claims to show a group of fans trying to get in by climbing over a fence.
Astroworld security not playing this year 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/JTNiPNyXHJ
— costa (@andrrusco) November 5, 2021
ABC13 said the festival’s 100,000 tickets sold out within an hour of going on sale in May. The Houston Chronicle said that around 50,000 fans showed up for the two-day event.
The event’s lineup included hip hop stars Travis Scott, Young Thug, Lil Baby, SZA, and a surprise appearance by Drake, among others.
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