Travis Scott, Kylie Jenner and SZA reflect on Astroworld tragedy: ‘In shock’
Astroworld performers Travis Scott, SZA, Roddy Ricch and others spoke out Saturday about the Houston music festival where a mass crowd surge killed eight concertgoers and injured at least 25.
Scott, who previously tweeted that he was “devastated” by the Friday tragedy and pledged his “total support” to law enforcement investigating the incident, reflected further on Saturday via Instagram.
“I just want to send out prayers to the ones that was lost last night. We’re actually working right now to identify their families, so we can help assist them through this tough time,” Scott said in a series of videos posted to his Instagram story.
“My fans really mean the world to me, and I always want to leave them with a positive experience. And any time I could make out anything that was going on, I’d stop the show and help them get the help they need. I could never imagine the severity of the situation.”
Eight people died and 25 were hospitalized after crowds surged at the Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in Houston on Friday.
During the Houston concert, Scott spotted an emergency vehicle in the audience and said, “There’s an ambulance in the crowd. Whoa, whoa, whoa,” before telling fans, “Y’all know what you came to do,” and resuming his set.
At one point, the star briefly paused the show and said, “Hold, hold, hold, we need some help, somebody passed out right here. ... Security, let’s get in there.” But the performance continued.
Concertgoers got trapped in the crush of the crowd and struggled to breathe, and several people were trampled on the festival floor, according to eyewitness accounts.
Although some festival attendees repeatedly shouted, “Stop the show!” because of people in distress, the concert went on for 40 minutes more, according to Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.
“We’ve been working closely with ... the city of Houston, HPD, fire department, everyone [to] help us figure this out,” Scott continued Saturday on Instagram.
“If you have any information, please just contact the local authorities. Everybody continue to just keep your prayers. ... I could never imagine anything like this happening. I’m gonna do everything I can to keep you guys updated [and] informed on what’s going on.”
The on-site investigator at the deadly 1979 Who concert said that festival seating and crowd density may have contributed to the Astroworld tragedy.
Hours later Kylie Jenner, the beauty mogul who is Scott’s girlfriend, posted an Instagram statement supporting her partner and sending prayers to “all who lost their lives, were injured or affected in any way by yesterday’s events.”
Scott “cares deeply for his fans and the Houston community,” wrote Jenner, who has a 3-year-old daughter with the “Sicko Mode” artist and is pregnant with their second child.
“I want to make it clear we weren’t aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show and in no world would have continued filming or performing. I am sending my deepest condolences to all the families during this difficult time.”
On Saturday afternoon, singer-songwriter SZA tweeted that she was “speechless” in the wake of Astroworld — the deadliest American concert since a mass shooting at a 2017 country music festival in Las Vegas. The “Love Galore” hitmaker performed before Scott took the stage and the crowd began to compress toward the front.
“I’m actually in shock n don’t even know what to say,” SZA tweeted. “[P]raying for everyone in Houston especially the families of those that lost their lives.”
Another musician who opened for Scott, Compton-born rapper Ricch, vowed via Instagram to donate his “net compensation” from the festival to the families affected by the incident, adding #Pray4Houston.
At a Saturday comedy show in Kentucky, comedian Katt Williams halted his routine for 10 minutes after someone in the crowd passed out and another person shouted, “Stop the show!” according to TMZ.
In video captured by the tabloid, Williams cites “that Astroworld s—” with informing his decision to pause the show while medical staff tended to the unconscious attendee.
“I’m not finna be leaving with that on my conscience,” Williams told the audience.
There were other reactions to the Astroworld tragedy on social media, including by SZA and Trey Songz.
Times staffers Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Jaweed Kaleem, Matt Pearce, Craig Marks and Jenny Jarvie contributed to this report.
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