As more information about the tragedy of Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival is released, more artists are sending their condolences and expressing shock around the ordeal. R&B songstress SZA is speaking out on the unfortunate circumstances that left eight dead and an estimated 300 injured. On Saturday, Nov. 6, the “Weekend” singer, who performed earlier in the evening before the chaos ensued, took to Twitter to express her thoughts. Among those who perished is a 14-year-old who has yet to be identified publicly.
“Speechless about last night I’m actually in shock n don’t even know what to say,” she said. “Just praying for everyone in Houston especially the families of those that lost their lives.”
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TMZ is reporting that multiple people were reportedly injected with a needle, more than likely containing drugs, by an unknown assailant. A stampede interrupted, with witnessing reporting that people ran, trampling over others, and some appeared to go into shock and cardiac arrest.
Houston PD’s Chief Troy Finner explained during a press conference that as a result of such information, the investigation has changed, saying, “is now a criminal investigation that is going to involve our homicide division as well as narcotics.” Per Finner, a security guard working the event was stuck with a needle as he worked to try to restrain someone else. “He was reaching over to restrain or grab a citizen and he felt a prick in his neck,” Finner said. The guard was given Narcan, which is typically used in Opioid overdoses. Medical staff members who helped the guard confirmed seeing a mark on his neck that appeared to be a puncture wound from the needle.
Other performers of the first night of the festival also shared their condolences on social media. “Praying for all those we lost and their loved ones,” Houston rapper Don Toliver wrote. “Houston 4ever.” Hip hop mogul Master P wrote on Instagram: “I performed early in the day at AstroWorld but I was supposed to perform at night because I had a show in Baltimore. I heard what happened at the show, My condolences go out to the people who lost their lives. Man this was supposed to be a historical event.” He added in a second post: “Life is too short, tell your loved ones you love them when you walk out the door because you never know.”
