Video has circulated of people stampeding through security to get into the event earlier in the day, ignoring staff working the event and breaking down security fences. Fans rushing through security and breaking down the gates has been an issue at previous Astroworld events. It was also a prominent subject in the Travis Scott Netflix documentary Look Mom I Can Fly.
“We had more security over there than we had at the World Series games,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told The New York Times today. Turner claimed there were “hundreds” of officers on-site, plus “240 or 250 non-police security.” He added: “I’m going to hold any sort of conclusion pending a thorough review and investigation.”
Regarding the rumor of the drug spiking in the crowd, Turner responded, “I don’t even want to go to drug overdoses. We are looking at all potential causes of this incident or what caused the cardiac arrest. We’re not taking anything off the table.”
“Our hearts are with the Astroworld Festival Family tonight—especially those we lost and their loved ones,” the festival wrote in a statement posted early this morning. “Thank you to our partners at the Houston Police Department, Fire Department, and NRG Park for their response and support.”
Astroworld 2021 was set to continue tonight (Saturday), but it has been canceled. In addition to Travis Scott, yesterday’s event featured performances from SZA, Lil Baby, Master P, Yves Tumor, Toro y Moi, Don Toliver, and Roddy Ricch. The festival streamed live on Apple Music and was set to feature appearances from Tame Impala, Earth Wind & Fire, Bad Bunny, Chief Keef, Young Thug, and others.
In a statement made on his Instagram story, Scott said he was “working right now to identify the families so we can help assist them through this tough time,” adding that “any time I can make out anything that’s going on, I’d stop the show and help them get the help they need. I could just never imagine the severity of the situation.”
This article was originally published on November 6 at 8:45 a.m. Eastern. It was last updated on November 6 at 11:05 p.m. Eastern.
