At around 9:15 p.m. CST, a mass casualty event occurred at the third-annual Travis Scott Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas.
According to local officials, the crowd began to compress toward the stage and caused mass panic.
Festival attendees began to “fall out” and over a dozen individuals were transported to the hospital.
In total, there are eight confirmed fatalities from the mass casualty event.
BREAKING UPDATE: 8 Confirmed Fatalities At The AstroWorld Music Festival Tonight
11 Cardiac Arrests, 17 Individuals Transported To Hospital pic.twitter.com/f7cLTQB1H6
— HeadlineHunter!🚨U.S. (@HHunter_US) November 6, 2021
ABC 13 shared additional details:
The view from SkyEye overhead Friday night showed the heavy police and fire department activity in the area of the event as organizers ended it early. The organizers, rapper Travis Scott and LiveNation, stopped the show when it was apparent that multiple people were hurt, according to Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.
While the most deadly moments happened after 9:30 p.m., Peña said more than 300 patients total had been treated at a field hospital since the event began, including people who were hurt during the worst moments. While names and ages of the casualties weren’t known, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said one of the victims was 10-years-old.
Houston Fire Department and Harris County medics transported 23 people to hospitals, 17 of those patients were taken away during the worst of the ordeal, according to Peña, who also said CPR had to be performed on 11 of the victims. HFD had 55 units in-service for the festival, Peña said.
Festival founder Travis Scott, a rapper and Missouri City native, was joined on stage by Drake in a surprise appearance as the crowd surged.
HPD Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite was on-duty at the festival along with 367 police officers and 241 security officers. He gave his first-hand account during an early morning press conference.
“Once we started having the mass casualty incident, they were starting CPR on several people, and it happened all at once,” Satterwhite said. “It seemed like it happened over the course of 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.”
Medical transports were already at the park for the multi-day festival, but staff was quickly overwhelmed with injured people, authorities said.
Investigators were dispatched to hospitals Saturday morning in an attempt to identify the victims. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine how the eight people died.
One concert attendee provided his eyewitness account to the horrific ordeal:
this is crazy#AstroWorld #ASTROWORLDFest pic.twitter.com/l3rXokFbys
— 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖆𝖓𝖊༒♱ (@officialshaane) November 6, 2021
Here’s additional footage to give you an idea of the size of the crowd.
The festival drew an attendance of around 50,000.
*Warning – Graphic Footage*
https://twitter.com/diorprads/status/1456883103344078849
there was ambulances literally inside the crowd at astroworld pic.twitter.com/nQIU6WrEgp
— ona la culona (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡ (@onacasella) November 6, 2021
sending prayers to everyone who went to astroworld and condolences to the family of those who lost their life 🙏🏾 ❤️ #ASTROWORLDFest #AstroWorld pic.twitter.com/uZfJWqtaeT
— The Bad Guy (@helowkeyspittin) November 6, 2021
https://twitter.com/cozyboy_gmoney/status/1456939541818789888
VIDEO: The crowd tried getting them to stop the show & everyone just kept going – not caring about the people who were dying in the crowd. When you see your crowd CLEARLY trying to stop a show, you stop the show. This is all so heartbreaking. (@LDCMOA) #AstroWorld https://t.co/Mbahp0Ekom
— nicholas ✰ (@NLiddle16) 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
BREAKING: 11 Possible Deaths Tonight At Travis Scott’s #AstroWorld Music Festival. Multiple Cardiac Arrests Reported. (DEVELOPING)
— HeadlineHunter!🚨U.S. (@HHunter_US) November 6, 2021
All you need to know: Travis Scott's Astroworld music festival mass casualty incident:
* 8 dead
* 300 were treated
* Dozens rushed to Houston hospital
* 11 were in cardiac arrest
* Concert victims include 10 years old
* Saturday event canceledVIDEOS: https://t.co/jupLll5j7L pic.twitter.com/ye0nIPMaNj
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 6, 2021
Here’s another eyewitness describing the chaotic scene:
An eyewitness at Astroworld says the massive trampling Incident occurred right after @trvisXX performance began. She also mentions about the extreme crowding before Travis Scott started at Astrofest. #astroworldfestival #ASTROWORLDFest #AstroWorldhttps://t.co/06Cl6eSRJk pic.twitter.com/ZM9fWnDdYT
— Βƌβƌβơ⊔⟟ℓℓ⋲ (@WulfMunkey) November 6, 2021
Local officials have organized a reunification center for anyone who hasn’t heard from a loved one that attended the festival:
If you've not heard from a loved one who was at the #Astroworld Festival Friday night, a reunification center has been set up. It's at the Wyndham Houston Hotel at 8686 Kirby. https://t.co/8nOiuwD3S6 pic.twitter.com/jCc0pCrRPE
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) November 6, 2021
Serious questions I must raise after the mass casualty event:
1. What kind of security (or lack thereof) did organizers Travis Scott and Live Nation have?
Eyewitness accounts report dozens of people getting trampled and suffocated in the frenzy.
Live Nation is the world’s leading live entertainment company.
You’d think their team would have more organized security.
2. How does a mass casualty event of ‘cardiac arrests’ occur amongst mostly young attendees?
This is what the mainstream media will ignore, but I refuse to turn a blind eye.
When I saw Live Nation was a promoter of the event, I knew they likely required proof of a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination to attend the festival.
I personally wanted to attend a rock concert in another state hosted by Live Nation.
However, I refused to buy tickets upon learning of the concert’s COVID policy.
After going on the Travis Scott Astroworld Festival website, I found their COVID Policy:
THE SAFETY OF FANS, ARTISTS, AND STAFF REMAINS OUR TOP PRIORITY. OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO BE IN REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS, AND WE INTEND TO ABIDE BY RELEVANT STATE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE FESTIVAL.
IN FURTHERANCE OF OUR TOP PRIORITY, WE HEREBY ANNOUNCE OUR UPDATED POLICY REGARDING COVID-19:
A PRINTED COPY OF A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST RESULT OR PROOF OF A FULL VACCINATION WILL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL 2021. ALL PATRONS MUST ALSO COMPLY WITH THE ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL FAN HEALTH COMMITMENT.
THE NEGATIVE COVID-19 PRINTED TEST RESULT MUST BE OBTAINED PRIOR TO ATTENDING ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL. PROOF OF THE NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PATRONS OVER THE AGE OF 2.
PATRONS WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED MAY SHOW PROOF OF FULL COVID-19 VACCINATION INSTEAD OF PROOF OF NEGATIVE TEST. A PERSON IS CONSIDERED FULLY VACCINATED 14 DAYS AFTER THE SECOND SHOT OF PFIZER/MODERNA OR SINGLE SHOT OF J&J. FOR EXAMPLE, THE LAST POSSIBLE DATE TO GET YOUR SECOND SHOT FOR ENTRY ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5 WOULD BE OCTOBER 22. PLEASE NOTE THAT VACCINATION IS NOT REQUIRED TO ATTEND ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL.
EITHER OPTION (PROOF OF A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST RESULT OR PROOF THAT YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED) MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A VALID, GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PHOTO ID. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18, YOU MAY USE A SCHOOL ID OR SOMETHING SIMILAR (UNLESS YOU ARE ARRIVING WITH YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN IN WHICH CASE THEIR IDENTIFICATION WILL SUFFICE).
I’m NOT saying the COVID-19 jabs were the culprit of this tragedy.
However, I implore those impacted by this horrific event to demand honest answers from the medical examiners.
Were the victims who suffered cardiac arrest and other cardiovascular distress vaccinated or not?
I’ve attended multiple rock & metal festivals that had similar attendance numbers.
And I’ve moshed in crowds of hundreds & thousands before.
Never in my life have I witnessed anything like this.
It warrants a serious investigation to find the root cause.
Day 2 of Astroworld was cancelled as authorities investigate Friday night’s tragic events.
My heart goes out to those who lost their life at Astroworld yesterday.
Houston authorities have cancelled today’s show and are investigating yesterday’s tragedy. More on @HoustoniaMag https://t.co/WCOgSPT3HW
— Nandi (@itsnandibby) November 6, 2021
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