One person died and nine others were injured when a crowd surged after a concert in Rochester, New York, according to police, who said Monday there’s no evidence gunfire preceded the stampede.
The chaos at the Main Street Armory ramped up shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday following a show headlined by the rapper GloRilla.
“As people began to exit, the crowd began to surge and rush toward the exit. There are some reports that shots were heard, causing the crowd to panic, but that has not been confirmed,” Rochester Police Chief David M. Smith said during a news conference Monday.
“We do not have any evidence of gunshots being fired or of anyone being shot or stabbed at the scene,” he said.
A woman died after being taken to nearby Strong Hospital, police said. Two other women were hospitalized in critical condition and seven other victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
“Preliminary reports from people at the scene indicate that these injuries were caused from people being trampled,” said Smith, who said the investigation is in its “very early” stages.
Investigators are also looking into reports that the crowd’s size and pepper spray caused the stampede. Authorities are speaking with concertgoers and security staffers to determine what happened and to hold accountable those responsible, officials said.
It’s unclear how many people attended the concert at Main Street Armory, which Smith says has a capacity of around 5,000.
“My heart, Rochester’s heart and prayers go out to the victim that passed away last night and those that are fighting for their life,” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said Monday. “This is a tragedy of epic proportions and is something that all of us who love concerts worry about.”
GloRilla, whose real name is Gloria Woods, is known for songs such as “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” and “Tomorrow,” which has a remix featuring Cardi B that reached No. 9 on the U.S. singles chart.
“Praying everybody is ok,” GloRilla, 23, tweeted early Monday.
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