Two people were killed and eight were injured in a rampage in Rochester, New York, following a concert by the rapper GloRilla.
Authorities say the crush may have been triggered when audience members mistakenly believed they heard gunshots.
Nicholas Adams, a lieutenant with the Rochester Police Department, told ABC News that there was “no evidence to substantiate a shooting having occurred.”
GloRilla, who had concluded her performance before the occurrence, expressed that she was “devastated and distraught.”
The Memphis musician, whose song F.N.F. (Let’s Go) was nominated for best rap performance at the Grammy Awards last month, stated that she was unaware of the stampede until she departed the venue.
She wrote on social media, “My followers mean the world to me.” “Praying for their families and a swift recovery for everyone affected.”
On Sunday night at the Armory, according to police, the pandemonium began shortly after the concert ended.
“As individuals started to leave, the crowd began to surge and rush towards the exit,” said police chief David M. Smith.
There are unconfirmed allegations that shots were heard, which caused the crowd to panic.
The police department added in a statement, “We are receiving numerous reports of potential causes, such as crowd size, gunfire, pepper spray, and more.
“According to preliminary reports from witnesses at the site, these injuries were caused by trampling. We have no evidence that shots were discharged, or that anyone was shot or stabbed.”
The police discovered three severely injured women inside the auditorium. Rhondesia Belton, 33, of nearby Buffalo, passed away in the hospital.
“Her family, friends, and associates are devastated by this tragic loss,” said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
Late on Monday, Rochester Police reported the death of a second woman, age 35. Her identity has not been disclosed.
Another woman continues to be in critical condition with severe injuries. Seven additional individuals are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
You got to get up
On Monday, Rochester news station WHEC-TV interviewed fans as they returned to retrieve personal belongings they had lost in the pandemonium.
“I and the lady next to me were climbing on each other to get each other up,” said Ikea Hayes.
“I was watching existence flash before my eyes, and I still had no idea what was happening.”
She recalled praying and telling herself, “You have to get up. You got to shift. If you remain here, they will continue to run you over.”
Anthony Rouse, a security officer, told WHEC-TV that he signed up to work at the concert after learning that his daughter was attending.
According to him, she was injured in the stampede to the exits and spent part of Monday in the hospital. “The sole purpose of my joining was to protect her,” he said. “And I failed.”
The stampede was a “tragic event of colossal proportions,” according to Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans, who spoke at a news conference.
An investigation has begun to determine whether the venue’s proprietors adhered to the required safety measures.
“When you attend a concert, you do not anticipate being crushed,” he said. Your family expects you to be able to return home.
The catastrophe occurred three months after a fatal crush outside an Asake concert at London’s Brixton Academy.
A large number of individuals attempted to enter the venue, resulting in two fatalities and multiple injuries.
In November 2021, pandemonium broke out at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas, killing ten concertgoers.
