Rapper Travis Scott 'devastated' after concert in Houston kills at least eight

A crush of rap music fans pushing toward the stage during Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival in Houston killed at least eight people and injured scores of others as panic rippled through the packed crowd, officials said on Saturday.

The disaster unfolded at NRG Park at around 9 p.m. on Friday during the headline performance by Scott, a Grammy-nominated singer and producer. As some in the sold-out audience of about 50,000 surged toward the stage, people began to fall unconscious, some apparently suffering cardiac arrest or other medical issues, officials told reporters outside the venue. Minutes later the chaos was declared a “mass casualty incident.”

“It happened all at once. It seemed like it just happened ... over the course of just a few minutes,” said Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite, who was at the front of the event when the situation began.

Satterwhite said he immediately met with concert promoters and they agreed to halt the show “in the interest of public safety.”

Police Chief Troy Finner said investigators had yet to determine what triggered the deadly surge, but he said police were aware of “rumors of people injecting some people with drugs” in the crowd, “so I want to check all that out.”

‘Scores injured’

Seventeen victims were taken by ambulance to hospitals after the crush began, 11 of whom were in cardiac arrest, according to city Fire Chief Samuel Pena, but it was unclear whether that number included any of the eight confirmed fatalities.

He added that some 300 people were treated at an on-site “field hospital” for various injuries and illnesses suffered throughout the day unrelated to the deadly crowd surge, which he said left “scores” of people hurt. One was 10 years old, Pena said.

After mobbing entrance gates and merchandise booths early in the day, the crowd grew increasingly unruly as performers took the stage, according to 19-year-old festival goer Hamad Al Barrak.

“There were just too many people,’ said Al Barrak, who described chaos as he tried to buy festival gear. “People were up on each other. We were all pressed together. You felt like you couldn’t breathe.”

An earlier incident in which fans started “rushing” the festival gates was brought under control relatively quickly, said Finner, adding: “I don’t think this incident is related to the incident that caused the deaths.”

Finner said police had 367 officers assigned to the festival on Friday, along with 241 private security personnel.

Houston-born Scott said he would support the police as they investigate the incident and wanted to help the community heal.

“I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” Scott wrote on Twitter. “Love You All.”

Peña described how the crush of fans quickly overwhelmed the private medical personnel for the festival, a two-day affair that was scheduled to culminate on Saturday, but was canceled after Friday night’s tragedy.

Videos posted to social media showed a chaotic scene as fans and staff tried to bring attention to injured concert-goers. One video showed fans attempting to make camera operators aware of the dangerous situation. A separate video showed people waving toward the stage and chanting “Stop the show!”

An investigation was underway that is likely to focus on security and safety protocols at the event.

Scott, who came to fame in the early 2010s for his unique vocal style has a daughter with Kylie Jenner from the famed Kardashian family. Astroworld is also the name of his third studio album released in 2018 to critical acclaim.