Just absolutely heartbreaking scenes coming out of the Astroworld Festival this weekend.
If you haven’t been following the news, 8 people died and hundreds more were injured during rapper Travis Scott’s performance at his festival in Houston this weekend.
Authorities initially blamed the deaths on a push of people who were disregarding security to try to get closer to the stage.
How the hell is this even a concert bruh everyone a sandwich they can’t even move #AstroWorld2021 #AstroWorld pic.twitter.com/gKmaSEPJgG
— m (@restabilization) November 7, 2021
there was ambulances literally inside the crowd at astroworld pic.twitter.com/nQIU6WrEgp
— ona (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡ (@onacasella) November 6, 2021
But reports have also surfaced that somebody was injecting concert-goers with an unknown drug, causing them to go into cardiac arrest. (Yes, really).
Houston police even announced that a security guard was one of those who was injected in the neck. He was revived using the overdose drug Narcan.
Chief of Police Troy Finner confirms that during the Astroworld Festival a member of security lost consciousness after feeling a prick in his neck.
He was revived with Narcan and medical staff who treated him noticed a mark that could have been from an injection. pic.twitter.com/6pQ5IFV0jw
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 6, 2021
There are plenty of heartbreaking videos of the chaotic scene, but I’m not going to post those here so you can search for those yourself if you want to see them.
In the wake of the tragedy, Travis Tritt is just one of many who have taken to social media to express his condolences for the victims, some as young as 14 years old.
The tragic events that occurred at the #ASTROWORLDFest are truly horrific. My deepest condolences go out to all the families who lost loved ones. Concerts are supposed to be safe and fun. This was neither.
— Travis Tritt (@Travistritt) November 7, 2021
But he also had some harsh words for the concert industry, accusing them of not being as concerned about safety as they claimed to be when they initiated their vaccine and masking requirements due to COVID.
After seeing the tragic events at #ASTROWORLDFest, it appears that some big concert promoters are clearly not as concerned with “public safety” as they claimed when they initiated their vaccine, masks and testing policies in October. Bigger threats than a virus are in play here.
— Travis Tritt (@Travistritt) November 7, 2021
Tritt also adds that “bigger threats than a virus are in play here.”
Tritt has, of course, been highly critical of venues and promoters that are requiring proof of vaccination of their attendees, and announced last month that he wouldn’t be playing at any venue that had a vaccine or mask requirement.
The Astroworld Festival was promoted by Live Nation, which earlier in the year announced that attendees at all events taking place at Live Nation-owned venues and festivals would be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test.
But Astroworld had security problems from the start, with fans overrunning security to get into the show.
As we were arriving to the Astroworld Festival at NRG Park right at 2:00, a stampede burst through the gates. Hundreds of people destroyed the VIP security entrance, bypassing the checkpoint. People were trampled. Some were detained.
(Excuse any language you may hear) pic.twitter.com/d0m2rjqAAk
— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) November 5, 2021
Astroworld, Travis Scott and Live Nation are already facing numerous lawsuits over the tragedy, and more are sure to follow in the coming days.
Just an absolutely awful, heartbreaking situation.
And it may be one that brings change to the entire concert industry when it comes to safety and security.
