NRG Park in Houston was packed with over 50,000 people, many of them teenagers, for a Travis Scott concert Friday night when the crowd surged forward, resulting in a stampede that killed eight people and injured hundreds more. A 14-year-old boy was killed, and a 10-year-old was among those who were injured. Those who died ranged between 14 to 27 years old.
Concertgoers were lifting unconscious and injured friends and family members, surfing them over the crowd, trying to get them to safety. An ambulance entered the crowd at 9:30 p.m., about 30 minutes after Travis Scott took the stage. People were pleading for the concert to stop and seeking CPR for injured people.
Travis Scott played through his set of music until 10:10 p.m., about 40 minutes after city officials said the deadly stampede had begun. Concert promotion company Live Nation ended the concert 30 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Travis Scott continued playing through his set of music, urging the crowd on at times, at other times, pausing to acknowledge that something appeared to be wrong, including when an ambulance entered the crowd around 9:30 p.m.
Investigators say it is unclear how much of what was going on could be determined from the stage or when investigators figured out that the crowd had become chaotic. Houston’s police chief said that concert organizers were concerned that cutting off the concert would possibly incite riots.
Police are looking into reports that drugs were a part of the problem. This theory was reinforced by another troubling incident at the concert: A security officer was pricked in the neck while trying to restrain someone, leading to him passing out. That officer was revived using Narcan, which is used for opioid overdoses.
Houston’s fire department reported no problems at the exits, adding that the problem seemed to be the crowd itself. Investigators are looking into a theory that too many people entered the venue. NRG Park can hold up to 200,000 people, but the event was supposed to be limited to 50,000.
When someone dies due to negligence, families can seek justice. Financial damages will never bring back a loved one, but a family will need financial help to cope with the loss. The Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC assist clients who have lost loved ones due to negligence. Located in Philadelphia, Abington, and Media, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; and Haddonfield, New Jersey, the firm serves clients throughout the surrounding areas. Call 215-569-8488 or complete an online form to schedule a free consultation and to learn more.