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Houston officials are investigating what authorities have described as a surge in crowds that have killed at least eight people and injured dozens, making Astroworld Festival one of the worst music concert tragedy in U.S. history. I’m changing.
Authorities declared a “massive casualty” at 9:38 pm local time on Friday during the festival. NRG ParkAt an estimated 50,000 attendance, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Penha told reporters: Overnight news briefing..
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a press conference on Saturday that 25 people had been taken to the hospital and 13 were still in the hospital. According to officials, a 10-year-old child is in crisis. According to Penha, there were many other injuries. He added that at least 11 people were suffering from cardiac arrest.
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According to Turner, the victims who died were between 14 and 27 years old. The age of one person was unknown. Turner did not identify the people killed in the incident and said that six out of eight families were notified. Judge Lina Hidalgo of Harris County said an autopsy would take place before the victims were released to their families.
Officials spoken at a press conference on Saturday did not confirm the cause of death for the eight victims.
The surge began around that time Rapper Travis ScottThe festival headliner has arrived on stage.
“The audience began to squeeze in front of the stage, which caused panic and injuries,” Penha said. “People began to drop out and became unconscious, which caused further panic.”
Concert surge, fire, shooting: Before the Astroworld Festival, these disasters struck the music venue
Many people were treated even at the site where the field hospital was set up. According to Penha, about 300 people were tested at the site throughout the day.
Astroworld promoters had medical personnel and emergency transport components at the festival, but “they were quickly overwhelmed” as the number of injured increased in “a truly chaotic event,” said the fire chief. rice field.
Amy Harris, a freelance photographer in the Cincinnati region, said people at USA TODAY festivals are usually “happy to be there and relax.” But this was different from the more than 10 concerts she shot at least in the last 12 summers.
She “felt this aggression from the crowd all day long,” Harris said, adding that the atmosphere alerted her in much like last year’s assignment to photo protests.
She said there was enough space in NRG Park for the crowd. However, many festival attendees tried to get as close to the stage as possible.
“It made me very anxious and anxious,” Harris said.
more: Astroworld brings memories of The Who’s Concert Stampede, where 11 people died 40 years ago.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at an overnight press conference that investigators did not yet have many of the injured’s identification cards.
A total of 528 police officers and 755 guards were assigned to the festival, Finaler said. When the festival gate opened on Friday afternoon, there was a problem with the concert attendees who pushed the security and ticket scanners away. However, Finaler said the situation was under control and had nothing to do with the tragedy that followed.
Turner Announced on Saturday If you’re thinking of reuniting with a loved one, you can call the helpline.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said He instructed the state’s public safety department to assist in the investigation of the tragedy.
Astroworld is a two-day music festival sold out. Astroworld website.. The rest of Friday night performances and Saturday shows have been cancelled.
“Our heart is in the Astroworld Festival family tonight, especially those we lost and their loved ones,” the show promoter tweeted early Saturday. “We are focused on helping local officials as much as possible.”
Scott tweeted on Saturday “I was completely overwhelmed by what happened last night,” he said.
“I promise to work with the Houston community to heal and support families in need,” he added.
The festival was performing its third year of music. According to the festival’s website, the upcoming musicians and artists included Young Thug and YSL, Bad Bunny, Chief Keef, Tame Impala, Earth, Wind & Fire and more.
Drake joined Scott on the stage of a concert livestreamed by Apple Music and posted a photo on Instagram after the performance.
Larry Satter White, executive assistant chief of the Houston Police Department, was in front of the crowd and said the surge seemed to “has happened all at once.”
“Suddenly we knocked some people to the ground and experienced some kind of cardiac arrest or some kind of medical episode,” Satter White said. “So we started CPR right away and moved people right away, when I went to see promoters and Live Nation and they agreed to end early for public safety. Did.”
On Saturday, Finner said authorities were investigating reports of suspicious activity in the crowd.
He was revived by the opioid antidote Nalcan, Finner said.
Finaler told reporters that Scott and the event promoter cooperated with the police.
The incident has resulted in the most non-shooting deaths at US concerts since the 2003 station nightclub fire that killed 100 people on Rhode Island.
11 people were killed and about 20 were injured At The Who’s concert in 1979 When thousands of fans tried to enter the Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum.
Contribution: Associated Press
This article was originally published in USA TODAY: Astroworld Festival: Multiple deaths in crowd surge at Texas concert
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