Astroworld Festival Update: Houston Police Investigating Strange Reports Of Drug Spiking

Astroworld Festival Update: Houston Police Investigating Strange Reports Of Drug Spiking

Houston Police say they are investigating reports that at least some of the deaths and injuries at the Astroworld incident on Friday may stem from drug injections.


Chief of Police Troy Finner said at a press update Saturday afternoon that they are investigating reports of a possible drug spiking incident. Finner said an officer reported feeling a prick in his neck before losing consciousness. Authorities administered Narcan and were able to revive him. Medical staff who treated the officer noticed a mark that could have been from an injection, Finner said.


CBS News, citing an anonymous Astroworld source, said the alleged drug spiking incident was a targeted attack on innocent people, including a child.

The press update included information that a 14-year-old, a 16-year-old, two 21-year-olds, two 23-year-olds, a 27-year-old and one person of unknown age died. Some 25 people were taken to the hospital, 11 of them in cardiac arrest, and 13 remain there, including five under the age of 18. He did not say whether they were being examined for potential injections, but said earlier that many appeared to be trampled.


Live Nation is sending video footage from the site to the Houston Police. The footage is expected to arrive later today.


The injuries and deaths occurred shortly after 9 PM when the crowd “compressed,” as police termed it, toward the front of the stage.


“People began to fall out, become unconscious, and it created additional panic,” he said.


An estimated 50,000 people attended the event on Friday, the first of two nights for the festival. The surge happened when headliner Travis Scott took the stage.


“At some point, the show was stopped, when the crowd was surging,” said Peña.


The second day of the festival has been canceled. Police also said 25 people were arrested Friday night at the Astroworld Festival  — 23 for trespassing, one for marijuana possession and one for public intoxication.



Live Nation released a statement on Saturday afternoon.


“Heartbroken for those lost and impacted at Astroworld last night,” it said. “We will continue working to provide as much information and assistance as possible to the local authorities as they investigate the situation.”


NRG Park, where the festival was held, also released a statement.


“We are deeply saddened by the heartbreaking loss of life and pain experienced by all those impacted by this tragedy,” NRG Park tweeted. “We are fully cooperating and working closely with police and local authorities as they investigate how this tragedy occurred at the Astroworld Festival.”