Was it a terrible tragedy or a devious assassination attempt?
50,000 visitors celebrated on Friday evening at the Astroworld music festival in Houston (Texas) when suddenly some fell in the dense crowd and panic broke out. The terrible result: Eight dead and numerous injured!
The police now have to clarify how the fatal collapse of the visitors that triggered the mass panic came about. But there is already a terrible suspicion: some of the victims were apparently injected with a previously unknown substance. Troy Finner, the Houston police chief, confirmed that at least one person had had something injected with a needle.
According to this, a security officer who worked at the event felt a stab in the neck by an unknown attacker and was passed out. Finner said that medical staff actually saw something on his neck, suggesting that he had been stung with a syringe.
After the accident, the festival was also canceled for the following dayPhoto: Elizabeth Conley / AP
The police chief said that some of the victims were literally trampled on. So there could have been a fatal concatenation. While people went to the ground unconscious, the subsequent panic had fatal consequences.
The autopsies of the victims should finally clarify what exactly was the cause of death and who actually received injections from an unknown person.
“There are a lot of stories circulating on social media right now,” says Finner. “I think we all need to be respectful of families and make sure we follow the facts and evidence.”
The eight fatalities were between 14 and 27 years old, said Mayor Sylvester Turner at a press conference. Five of you were under 18 years of age. 13 people would still be treated in the hospital.
Rapper Travis Scott, who has hosted the festival since 2019, was on stage himself at the time of the disaster. Scott is devastated, reports the celebrity portal “TMZ”. For the most part, he did not notice what was happening around him.
And he was not aware of the extent. The rapper thought the victims were just dehydrated and therefore upset, which happens more often at concerts.
Rapper and festival host Travis Scott during his performancePhoto: Getty Images
He expressed his condolences to the victims and their families on Twitter and Instagram. He will pray for her. The Houston police have their full support to solve the “tragic loss of life”.