Kendall Jenner has broken her silence about the deadly tragedy at Friday night’s Astroworld concert in Houston, Texas.
The model, who was in attendance with sister Kylie Jenner, said she was ‘at a loss for words’ in an all-text post on Instagram Stories.
Eight people died after a crowd surge during rapper Travis Scott’s headlining performance at the festival, which an estimated 50k people attended.
Statement: Kendall Jenner has broken her silence about the deadly tragedy at Friday night’s Astroworld concert in Houston, Texas. She’s seen in September above
Response: The model, who was in attendance with sister Kylie Jenner, said she was ‘at a loss for words’ in an all-text post on Instagram Stories
Kendall attended the show with sister Kylie Jenner and her daughter Stormi, three, who she shares with Scott. None of the three sustained injuries.
Her statement said: ‘I’m still at a loss for words over the news from Astroworld. I’m truly broken for the families that have lost loved ones and my prayers go out to everyone involved.
‘Sending everyone who has been affected all of my love and wishing them strength during this incredibly devastating and sensitive time.’
Older sister Kim Kardashian also offered her thoughts on social media, speaking on behalf of the family.
On Twitter, she wrote: ‘Absolutely heartbroken for the lives who were lost and anyone who was hurt at Astroworld. Just like all of you, our family is in shock by the tragedy’
‘We are keeping all of the victims, families and loved ones impacted in our prayers for healing – as well as Travis who we know cares so much about his fans and is truly devastated.’
Chaos: Eight people died after a crowd surge during rapper Travis Scott’s headlining performance at the festival, which an estimated 50k people attended
Kim’s words: Older sister Kim Kardashian also offered her thoughts on social media, speaking on behalf of the family
Before it all: Kendall is seen in a happy snap from Friday’s concert above
Sister Khloe Kardashian caught heat for sharing a series of sexy photos while people are still reeling from the tragedy. She later reposted Kim’s message in solidarity.
Meanwhile, Scott will not be performing at the Day N Vegas Festival, as he is ‘too distraught to play,’ Variety reported.
Travis was scheduled to perform on Sunday, November 13 at the Day N Vegas Festival at Las Vegas Festival Grounds.
The now-cancelled performance was set up like the deadly Astroworld concert with general admission and no assigned seats.
Friday’s Astroworld show had a crowd of 50,000 people with a surge toward the stage happening at 9:38 pm local time in Houston.
Local firefighters and police called it a ‘mass casualty’ at that time, which took place 32 mins after Travis’ set began.
Sister Khloe Kardashian caught heat for sharing a series of sexy photos while people are still reeling from the tragedy
Poor taste: Many people were quick to criticize Khloe as tone-deaf
During the surge, eight fans including a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl were crushed to death.
Several concert-goers suffered cardiac arrests and one person, a police officer, was stabbed with a hypodermic needle.
Travis continued to perform up to 30 minutes as people were killed and with the crowd chanting ‘stop the show.’
Police chief Troy Finner, who knows Scott and felt that he had been trying to do good for his hometown, visited the musician in his trailer before the show on Friday.
He told the megastar that he was concerned about ‘the energy in the crowd,’ a source told The New York Times.
What happened: The chaos unfolding at Astroworld
City officials knew that fans of the rapper were raucous after the Astroworld Festival resulted in a stampede that sent three people to the hospital two years earlier.
Houston bolstered the police force with more officers in the months leading up to the concert, while Live Nation, the organizers, hired additional private security.
But that didn’t prevent dozens of fans rushing through security barriers around the venue on Friday night before the festival started.
The show was called off 30 minutes before schedule, but half an hour after a ‘mass casualty event’ had already been declared by the fire department.
Fire Chief Samuel Peña said on Sunday that Scott and the organizers could have stepped in and paused the show.
‘The one person who can really call for and get a tactical pause when something goes wrong is that performer. They have that bully pulpit and they have a responsibility,’ Chief Peña told the NYT.
Chaos: Fire Chief Samuel Peña said on Sunday that Scott and the organizers could have stepped in and paused the show
‘If somebody would have said, ‘Hey, shut this thing down and turn on the lights until this thing gets corrected’ — and that coming from the person with the mic — I think could have been very helpful.’
Scott and Live Nation have declined to comment on the specifics but say they are co-operating with the police investigation.
Scott, who said he was ‘devastated’ about the deaths and couldn’t ‘imagine anything like this happening,’ has twice been convicted for encouraging fans to jump security barriers and rush the stage at previous concerts.
Drake came out for the final songs of his performance as the chaos unfolded.
Scott and Drake are being sued for ‘inciting the crowd’ by one concert-goer who says he was left ‘severely injured.’
In memory: Candles, flowers, and letters are placed at a memorial outside the canceled Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on Monday, November 8, 2021, in Houston, Texas