First responders to the Astroworld Festival tragedy a week ago did all they could to try to get help to people caught in the crowd surge and left injured or worse.
Late Thursday afternoon, new audio was publicly released detailing some of the radio communications that EMTs, paramedics, police, and first responders all made in the terrifying moments as the tragedy unfolded at Travis Scott‘s Houston-based concert.
Related: Bharti Shahani Becomes 9th Fatality In Astroworld Festival Tragedy
According to TMZ, several different audio clips have surfaced online, all of which showcase what the Houston PD and other orgs were up against during the horrifying event. At one point in a clip released from relatively early in the night, a first responder can be heard noting something that would be significant as the evening went on (below):
“Folks are coming out of the crowd complaining of difficulty breathing.”
Oh, no…
Another radio transmission a little bit later in the night puts the focus on exactly what was going on as things got really bad in the crowd at the outdoor event:
“A lot of people trampled and passed out at the front of the stage.”
Early on in the tragedy, first responders not only knew things were going to be bad, but they also advocated for stopping the show — something that, as we’ve been reporting, sadly didn’t happen for way too long.
Still, at one point, one first responder tried to make the case for that over the radio:
“They have to stop the show because there’s people trampled and [inaudible] not breathing.”
You can hear some of the first responder audio HERE, but be warned because it’s disturbing to listen to the whole thing unfold in real time.
Per TMZ, the Houston Fire Chief has said the show was declared a “mass casualty event” at 9:38 p.m. local time that night — even though there is confirmed footage of the 30-year-old rapper performing past 10:00 p.m. Clearly, there was a major disconnect in who knew about the tragedy as it unfolded, and what was done at the venue, NRG Park, to address it.
Related: Is Travis Scott Liable For The Fatalities At His Show?
Obviously, it’s now to be determined in the aftermath whether something could have been done more quickly to attend to the injuries and multiple deaths and more forcefully stop the show. Lawyers and investigators alike will be taking a look at this situation for a long, long time to come.
We’re still just so sad for all the victims of this horrible situation, and their friends, families, and loved ones grieving with the aftermath…
R.I.P.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]
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