On Friday, a crowd surge at a Houston music festival crushed concertgoers as they were left trampled and gasping for air, struggling to survive against a wall of people pressing forward toward the stage.
Eight people were killed and hundreds were injured in Houston, Texas on Friday night when the crowd surged forward, leaving people toward the front with nowhere to escape. Over 50,000 people attended the sold-out event at NRG Park.
Just after 9 p.m. while Astroworld’s headliner Travis Scott was performing, the crowd started to move toward the stage, pressing into the audience members at the front and crushing them, according to Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña. Panic ensued as some people fell and lost consciousness. Despite this, Scott’s performance continued.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Saturday that one of the victims was 14, one was 16, two were 21, two were 23, one was 27 and one person’s age has not been determined. 25 people were taken to hospitals, 13 remained hospitalized Saturday, and five of the injured are under 18, Turner said. A 10-year-old among the injured who was in critical condition has since lost his life. Additionally, several hundred were treated throughout and following the event.
As the crowd surged shortly after 9 pm on Friday, attendees of the event recount their horror as many couldn’t breathe or find their way out of the crowd.
“I couldn’t even stand or breathe or anything, and I’m 6 feet tall and I was having to look up to the sky just to breathe before the show even started,” he said. “As the countdown was going to zero, it didn’t make it through one full song before people just started collapsing and falling back,” added a 16-year-old festival-goer interviewed by news outlets.
Turner, the Houston mayor, has called for a “detailed briefing,” including security officers, Live Nation, and NRG Park, to find out how the festival “got out of control.”
Our hearts go out to those affected by the senseless and tragic incident at the Astroworld festival. We are following the developments closely, and we stand ready to help if you or a family member need any legal assistance. We provide free consultations and you can message us or call Andrew Dao at 713.655.1405 Ext. 110.
If you are searching for loved ones, please call Houston OEM at (832) 393-2991 or (832) 393-2990.