Drake is finally breaking his silence, three days after he performed along with Travis Scott at the Astroworld Festival on Friday which left 8 people dead in a crowd surge and many injured.
The rapper shared a statement on his Instagram page on Monday night, writing, “I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy. I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself.”
He continued, “My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering. I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can. May God be with you all.”
Travis Scott issued his first statement following the tragedy on Saturday morning, offering condolences to those affected and pledging his dedication to assisting authorities in their investigation.
“I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” he tweeted.
“Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life. I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you to Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support. Love you all,” he concluded.
— TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) November 6, 2021
According to the Associated Press, officials described the incident as a “surge of the crowd” while the 29-year-old-hip-hop star was onstage.
“The crowd began to compress towards the front of the stage, and that caused some panic, and it started causing some injuries. People began to fall out, become unconscious, and it created additional panic,” Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told reporters at a press conference.
Peña said officials transported 17 people to hospitals, 11 of whom were in cardiac arrest. It wasn’t immediately clear whether those who died were among the people who had been taken to medical facilities.
The fire chief told the AP that many were also treated at the scene, where a field hospital was set up in a nearby park. About 300 people were reportedly examined throughout the day at that site.
An estimated 50,000 people were in attendance for the sold-out two-day festival. Astroworld issued a statement on its official social media pages confirming that Saturday’s events had been canceled.
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