Gov. Abbott Makes State Resources Available for Probe Into Deaths at Houston Concert

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott connected Saturday expressed his daze and sympathy to victims and their families aft 8 died and hundreds were injured astatine the Astroworld euphony festival successful Houston connected Friday night.

“What happened astatine Astroworld Festival past nighttime was tragic, and our hearts are with those who mislaid their lives and those who were injured successful the terrifying assemblage surge,” Abbott said successful a statement.

He expressed acknowledgment to the archetypal responders and bully Samaritans connected tract who helped those injured successful what has been described arsenic a “mass casualty incident” by Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña.

Abbott said that helium has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to “make authorities resources available” to enactment the progressive probe being conducted by Houston officials from the mayor’s office, police, firefighters, and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. The probe is present a transgression probe.

“I inquire Texans to articulation Cecilia and maine successful lifting up successful supplication those affected by this tragedy,” Abbott added, referring to Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott.

The 2nd time of the two-day euphony festival was cancelled pursuing the tragic nonaccomplishment of beingness connected Friday night.

Houston officials confirmed successful a press conference connected Saturday day that 8 youths had died among the 25 who were taken to infirmary aft crowds surged toward the signifier of the outdoor venue arsenic rapper Travis Scott was performing.

Peña told reporters that from the clip a “mass casualty incident” was declared astir 9:30 p.m. to the archetypal aesculapian squad reaching a diligent was 2 minutes.

In total, implicit 300 radical were injured and treated astatine an exigency tract infirmary acceptable up astatine the venue, Peña said. Over 55 Houston Fire Department units stepped successful to supply assistance to the aesculapian unit supplied by lawsuit organizers.

Chief of the Houston Fire Department Sam Peña (C) flanked by Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner (L) and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (R), speaks astatine property league extracurricular of the Wyndham Houston Hotel adjacent NRG Park successful Houston, Texas, connected Nov. 6, 2021. (François Picard/AFP via Getty Images)

Houston Police Department (HPD) Chief Troy Finner said that the concert was yet chopped abbreviated astatine 10:10 p.m.—a determination that was made by officials and lawsuit absorption who were acrophobic astir the hazard of rioting and further injuries.

“When you person a radical that is that young, you can’t conscionable unopen down an event,” Finner added.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner promised families and the nationalist that a thorough probe would present beryllium conducted and immoderate mistakes openly disclosed to debar specified a calamity from happening again.

“I person called for a elaborate briefing from each stakeholders, including Live Nation, Harris County, NRG Park, police, fire, Office of Emergency Management, and different agencies, explaining however the lawsuit got retired of power starring to the deaths and injuries of respective attendees,” Turner said of the investigation.

Finner echoed the committedness to a afloat and transparent investigation. “We permission nary stones unturned. This has not happened to america successful Houston since I’ve been a constabulary serviceman and we instrumentality pridefulness successful it. And we’re going to get down to the bottommost of it,” helium said.

Astroworld besides released a connection connected Saturday saying that it is moving with authorities to place what went incorrect connected Friday night. Turner said that lawsuit organizer Live Nation would taxable each its video footage of the lawsuit by Saturday night.

Officials confirmed that immoderate performance goers had been trampled on successful the assemblage surge. The youngest injured is believed to beryllium 10 years old.

Travis Scott performs astatine Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival astatine NRG Park successful Houston, connected Nov. 5, 2021. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

Around 50,000 fans attended the festival astatine a venue that Peña said could person held up to 200,000. “It was a wide unfastened venue. The program included 2 abstracted stages.”

“These injuries did not hap arsenic radical tried to exit the venue,” Peña told reporters arsenic helium explained that the doors successful and retired of the venue remained unobstructed passim the event. The lawsuit was attended by 528 constabulary officers, the bulk of whom were wrong the venue, and 755 information officers provided by Live Nation.

“It was the assemblage power astatine the constituent of the signifier that caused the issue, particularly arsenic the assemblage started to surge up toward the stage, truthful that’s what we’re going to beryllium keying successful connected successful regards to the investigation,” Peña said. He promised to bash the close happening for the families with the investigation.

Turner confirmed the 8 deaths to beryllium a 14 twelvemonth old, 16 twelvemonth old, 2 21 twelvemonth olds, 2 23 twelvemonth olds, a 27 twelvemonth old, and 1 antheral who remains unidentified. He said that 1 of the deceased was a visitant from extracurricular Houston.

Spring Branch ISD Memorial High School released a connection connected Saturday confirming 1 of the victims arsenic 14-year-old 9th people pupil John Hilgert.

“Our hearts spell retired to the student’s household and to his friends and our unit astatine Memorial. This is simply a unspeakable loss, and the full MHS household is grieving today,” Spring Branch ISD said successful a statement. “Please support the student’s household successful your thoughts and prayers arsenic they look this tragedy. We volition marque counselors disposable to students adjacent week to connection immoderate assistance and enactment needed.”

The schoolhouse said it has enactment up greenish ribbons connected field successful representation of John. Green was his favourite color.

Officials said that 11 individuals astatine the performance suffered cardiac arrest. Four radical person been discharged from infirmary but 13 inactive remain, with 5 being nether the property of 18. No 1 has been reported missing.

Police said that 23 arrests were made astatine the festival for trespassing, 1 apprehension for possession of marijuana, and 1 for nationalist intoxication.

Security Officer Stabbed by Needle

Police Chief Finner besides asked Texans to hold for much details to travel of the investigations into Friday nighttime successful effect to “a batch of narratives” being circulated connected societal media.

“I deliberation that each of america request to beryllium respectful of the families and marque definite we travel the facts and the evidence. And that’s what we’re trying to bash present successful the Houston Police Department.

“I volition archer you 1 of the narratives was that idiosyncratic was injecting different radical with drugs,” helium said.

He confirmed reports of a privately hired information cause who was treated by aesculapian unit with NARCAN erstwhile helium fell unconscious aft helium tried to restrain a national and felt a prick connected his neck.

“He was revived and the aesculapian unit did announcement a prick that was akin to a prick that you would get if idiosyncratic was trying to inject.” However, it is unclear what whitethorn person been injected, arsenic the NARCAN was administered arsenic a precaution.

Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.