8 dead, hundreds hurt as Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival turns into mass casualty incident Friday night

It occurred on the third-annual Astroworld Festival, a sold-out live performance occasion that includes a number of acts.

WATCH: Skeye13 reveals aftermath of Astroworld Pageant’s mass casualty

The worst of the incident started round 9:15 p.m. when the group of roughly 50,000 concert-goers started to maneuver towards the entrance of the stage, in keeping with Houston Fireplace Chief Samuel Peña.

The Houston Fireplace Division shall be holding a briefing Saturday at about 3 p.m. to supply the general public with updates.

“The gang started to compress towards the entrance of the stage, and other people started to panic,” Peña stated.

The view from SkyEye overhead Friday evening confirmed the heavy police and fireplace division exercise within the space of the occasion as organizers ended it early. The organizers, rapper Travis Scott and LiveNation, stopped the present when it was obvious that a number of individuals have been damage, in keeping with Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.

WATCH: ABC13 prolonged protection of the catastrophe at Astroworld Pageant

Whereas probably the most lethal moments occurred after 9:30 p.m., Peña stated greater than 300 sufferers whole had been handled at a discipline hospital because the occasion started, together with individuals who have been damage through the worst moments. Whereas names and ages of the casualties weren’t recognized, Harris County Choose Lina Hidalgo stated one of many victims was 10-years-old.

Houston Fireplace Division and Harris County medics transported 23 individuals to hospitals, 17 of these sufferers have been taken away through the worst of the ordeal, in keeping with Peña, who additionally stated CPR needed to be carried out on 11 of the victims. HFD had 55 models in-service for the pageant, Peña stated.

Pageant founder Travis Scott, a rapper and Missouri Metropolis native, was joined on stage by Drake in a shock look as the group surged.

HPD Government Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite was on-duty on the pageant together with 367 law enforcement officials and 241 safety officers. He gave his first-hand account throughout an early morning press convention.

“As soon as we began having the mass casualty incident, they have been beginning CPR on a number of individuals, and it occurred unexpectedly,” Satterwhite stated. “It appeared prefer it occurred over the course of only a few minutes. Abruptly, we had a number of individuals down on the bottom experiencing some sort of cardiac arrest or some sort of medical episode.”

Medical transports have been already on the park for the multi-day pageant, however employees was rapidly overwhelmed with injured individuals, authorities stated.

Investigators have been dispatched to hospitals Saturday morning in an try to determine the victims. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Workplace will decide how the eight individuals died.

The remainder of the weekend’s deliberate performances have been canceled, and the realm is now a criminal offense scene as investigators work to search out out what precisely occurred.

“In some unspecified time in the future, the present was stopped when the group was surging,” Finner stated as he famous the occasion’s promoters have been cooperating with investigators.

WATCH: Metropolis and county leaders give replace on Astroworld Pageant mass casualty incident

It wasn’t but clear what triggered the deaths or accidents. Finner early Saturday shot down any early hypothesis concerning the a number of fatalities.

“There are quite a lot of rumors going round,” Finner stated. “We’ve hurting households out right here.”

Organizers with Astroworld Pageant launched the next assertion early Saturday morning:

Our hearts are with the Astroworld Pageant household tonight – particularly these we misplaced and their family members. We’re targeted on supporting native officers nonetheless we will. With that in thoughts the pageant will now not be held on Saturday. As authorities talked about of their press convention earlier, they’re wanting into the sequence of cardiac arrests that came about. When you’ve got any related info on this, please attain out to Houston Police. Thanks to our companions on the Houston Police Division, Fireplace Division, and NRG Park for his or her response and help.

A reunification heart was arrange at 8686 Kirby Drive close to the South Loop on the Wyndham Houston resort for relations to attach with their family members who might have attended the pageant. The reunion location is being staffed by personnel from Houston Police, the Houston Fireplace Division and counselors, authorities stated. Metropolis leaders urged relations to go to the placement in the event that they have not been in contact with their family members who attended the live performance.

“If you happen to’re a relative, (and your) member of the family was at this occasion and you haven’t spoken to this particular person, we now have models accessible to help,” Finner stated.

Residents from outdoors the Houston-area who have not heard family members who attended the pageant can name 832-393-2991 or 832-393-2990.

Whereas it was too early to know if the deaths or accidents have been the results of prison exercise, Finner stated his division investigating any prospects.

“Till we decide what occurred, what triggered the surge, we do not know,” Finner stated. “We are going to discover out. Is there something prison? We do not know.”

The lethal incident got here hours after a large crowd stormed the perimeter of NRG Park, making a chaotic state of affairs for safety personnel and occasion employees. Finner stated the 2 occasions weren’t associated.

WATCH: HFD Chief Sam Pena speaks on mass casualty at Astroworld Fest

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A number of followers have been trampled Friday afternoon as lots of rushed the occasion’s perimeter, flattening metallic detectors and a safety screening space. It nonetheless wasn’t clear Saturday if anybody suffered main accidents through the earlier incident.

WATCH: Crowd overtakes safety checkpoint at Astroworld Pageant

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ABC13 Reporter Mycah Hatfield was close to the doorway Friday afternoon because the mob approached, and stated safety personnel have been in a position to transfer some individuals away from the doorway earlier than the group overtook the gates.

The occasion’s 100,000 tickets offered out inside an hour of occurring sale again in Might.

Travis Scott, the favored rapper and organizer, launched the Astroworld Festival in 2018. Like most different massive occasions, it was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WATCH: Travis Scott and Drake carry out through the 2021 Astroworld Pageant Friday evening the place 8 individuals died and lots of have been injured

ABC13 has reached out to Reside Nation Leisure, the pageant’s promoter, and representatives for Travis Scott.

The rapper launched the next assertion, expressing his heartache over the incident on Saturday morning:

“I am completely devastated by what came about final evening. My prayers exit to the households and all these impacted by what occurred at Astroworld Pageant. Houston PD has my whole help as they proceed to look into the tragic lack of life. I’m dedicated to working along with the Houston neighborhood to heal and help the households in want. Thanks to Houston PD, Fireplace Division and NRG Park for his or her instant response and help. Love you all.”