Rapper Travis Scott has expressed devastation after a crowd surge at his Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas, resulted in at least eight deaths and numerous injuries. The incident occurred during the opening night of the music event, attended by some 50,000 people.
In a statement on Twitter, Scott said: 'My prayers go out to the families all those impacted by what happened. I'm absolutely devastated by what took place last night.' He thanked emergency services and pledged to work with the Houston community to support affected families.
Emergency workers described how panic erupted as the crowd pressed towards the stage during Scott's headline set. The crush caused injuries, and the casualty count quickly overwhelmed first aiders. Eleven people were taken to hospital with cardiac arrests, with eight later dying. Around 300 others were treated for injuries including cuts and bruises.
Attendee Edward, a 25-year-old Houston native, recounted being in the middle of the crowd as conditions deteriorated. 'I personally had a girl grab and hold on to me for dear life,' he said, adding that he helped her escape. Another concert-goer, Seanna Faith, climbed onto a cameraman's platform to plead for help, describing the crowd as a 'sinkhole'.
The two-day festival has been cancelled. Scott, who has a child with Kylie Jenner, stopped his performance multiple times to request security assist distressed fans. A reunification centre has been set up at a local hotel for families seeking missing loved ones.
