Travis Scott’s long-awaited Astroworld Festival was canceled this weekend, as eight people were killed during Scott’s set Friday night at NRG Park in Houston.
According to KHOU 11 News, Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña spoke during a news conference early Saturday morning, saying he “had scores of individuals that were injured.” Over 300 people were treated for injuries in the event’s first night at the field hospital near the festival grounds.
HFD Chief Sam Pena: At around 9 or 9:15, the crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage and that caused panic and people were getting injured. HFD transported 17 people to hospitals. 11 of those transported were in cardiac arrest.
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) November 6, 2021
Peña described the scene as a “mass casualty incident,” saying it occurred as the crowd began “to compress toward the front of the stage” during Travis Scott’s performance around 9 p.m. A reported 23 patients were transported to hospitals — 11 of whom were in cardiac arrest. Of the eight casualties, Houston PD revealed the deceased ranged from ages “14, 16, two are 21, two are 23, one is 27 and one’s age is unknown.”
@astroworldfest has been canceled. pic.twitter.com/aaOii8An1q
— NRG Park (@nrgpark) November 6, 2021
Scott’s third annual hometown festival was planned to run Friday and Saturday (Nov. 5-6). The frenzy of fans seen bashing barricades and rushing into the festival seemed to be an early inkling to the mayhem Astroworld would ultimately bring forth.
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.
— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) November 5, 2021
(Excuse any language you may hear) pic.twitter.com/d0m2rjqAAk
Videos and other posts were shared of EMT personnel administering CPR to unresponsive patients while Scott’s show went on in the distance. Houston PD also later confirmed that someone was injecting people with a needle during the concert.
Houston mayor Sylvester Turner spoke with the New York Times Saturday, saying that the city had “more security than the World Series” present at the festival. He shared an official statement on social media, assuring that “law enforcement will speak with concert promoters and witnesses and review videos available from the event and inside the festival venue.”
Scott live streamed Friday’s lineup via Apple Music and had dropped two new singles “ESCAPE PLAN” and “MAFIA” leading up to the festival’s opening day. Scott’s upcoming album Utopia is also reported to drop sometime in the next six months.
Scott later posted a heartfelt statement on Saturday morning, offering his total support to the city of Houston and the families of those involved in the tragedy.
— TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) November 6, 2021
#TravisScott speaks out about the #ASTROWORLDFest tragedy. #OGM
— Our Generation Music (@OGMusicCo) November 7, 2021
pic.twitter.com/e5KcXuEqtA
This is a developing story. Check back here for more.
Travis Scott releases two-pack ‘ESCAPE PLAN / MAFIA’ ahead of Utopia.
