Houston Police Chief Troy Finner has released a statement following Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival tragedy, which left eight people dead and many more injured.
Finner has claimed that he held a “brief and respectful” meeting with Scott and the rapper’s head of security “last Friday prior to the main event,” where he warned them that the set-up was not safe.
“I expressed my concerns regarding public safety,” Finner said. He added that “in my 31 years of law enforcement I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages, to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation.”
“I asked Travis Scott and his team to work with HPD for all events over the weekend and to be mindful of his team’s social media messaging on any unscheduled events,” Finner said. “The meeting was brief and respectful, and a chance for me to share my public safety concerns as Chief of Police.”
Statement from Police Chief @TroyFinner on #ASTROWORLDFest:#hounews pic.twitter.com/RouNcMErv2
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) November 8, 2021
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Saturday that the festival was the only time in about 40 years that such a large event in the city led to the loss of life.
There’s been “nothing of this magnitude,” Turner said during a press conference.
The festival’s promoters say they’ve offered full refunds to anyone who purchased tickets, adding that they’ve set up “a health fund to help with costs for medical expenses.”
An investigation has been launched into the incident but it’s still in its early stages.
Astroworld Fest, Live Nation and Scoremore also say they’ve handed over all footage from their surveillance cameras to the investigators.
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