'8 Dead in Stampede' Possible Drug-Related Crime at US Concert

On the 5th (local time), attendees at the 'Astroworld Music Festival' held at NRG Park in Houston, Texas, USA, watched a concert by global hip-hop star Travis Scott. During the concert, a crowd crush incident occurred, resulting in at least 8 deaths and hundreds of injuries. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] U.S. investigative authorities are considering the possibility of drug-related crimes in connection with the deaths of at least eight people who were crushed at a concert by hip-hop artist Travis Scott.

On the 7th (local time), according to foreign media, Troy Finner, Houston Police Chief, stated, "There are reports that someone in the audience administered drugs to others using a syringe." Investigators have deployed specialized detectives to launch investigations into homicide and drug-related crimes.

The accident occurred when Scott appeared on stage at the 'Astroworld Music Festival' held on the 5th at NRG Park in Houston, Texas, causing the crowd to surge forward all at once. At least eight people were crushed to death and hundreds were injured at the concert attended by 50,000 people.

One attendee told CNN about the situation, "It was hard to breathe as the crowd rushed toward the stage," and "Around the time Scott started singing the first song, I witnessed people collapsing here and there." Another attendee said, "It was not a concert but a death game," adding, "The audience fought for survival."

The police expanded the investigation to include drug crimes because many concert attendees showed symptoms that could be related to drug use. In fact, security personnel and several audience members at the venue lost consciousness and collapsed after feeling a stinging sensation in their throats. CNN reported, "They recovered only after receiving emergency treatment with drug antidotes."

Authorities arrested 25 people at the scene on charges including marijuana possession, drug intoxication, and illegal trespassing. About 300 people received treatment on-site for drug overdoses and injuries.

This accident is the deadliest at a U.S. performance venue since 2003, when 100 people died at the Rhode Island nightclub 'The Station.' Among the eight who died from crushing, seven were in their teens or twenties.

Samuel Pe?a, Houston Fire Chief, said, "We will conduct a detailed analysis of the on-site videos to determine the cause of the crowd surging excitedly toward the stage and what prevented people from leaving the venue."

There are also expectations that this accident could lead to large-scale lawsuits. Local media Houston Chronicle reported, "Numerous lawsuits demanding millions of dollars in damages are expected," adding, "The festival organizers, security companies, and Scott are likely to be the targets."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.