GloRilla is “devastated” following a stampede at her concert that left two people dead and several others injured.
Around 11 p.m. on Sunday, GloRilla was performing at Rochester, New York’s Main Street Armory when there was a sudden increase in the audience. According to the Rochester Police Department, concertgoers rushed for the exit after hearing what they believed to be gunshots.
According to reports of people hearing what they thought were gunshots, the injuries “appear to be the result of a large crowd pushing towards the exits,” Rochester police Lt. Nicholas Adams told CNN.
Rhondesia Belton, 33, and Brandy Miller, 35, both died in the stampede. Seven additional people also sustained life-threatening injuries, and another woman was still in critical condition on Monday.
Crowd Surge while exiting some trampled, some suffocated unfortunately 😔 pic.twitter.com/YXjssvOyd4
— Member (@kickzmcgee) March 6, 2023
Tamira De Jesus, who saw the performance on Sunday, remembered the terrifying incident. “While attempting to assist those who were lying on the ground to stand up, I was practically suffocating. She told Rolling Stone, “I was terrified and all I could think was that they had to let the crowd out into the street because they weren’t going to stop.
“I yelled at everyone to stop pushing and to help the people who were on the ground get up. I heard a man literally say, ‘F**k them, Step on them.’ I am still experiencing anxiety because it was the most inhumane thing I have ever witnessed in my entire life.
Following the tragedy, a “heartbroken” GloRilla posted on Twitter to express her sorrow over the deaths.
She tweeted on Monday night, “I am devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sunday’s show. “My fans are everything to me. I’m praying for their families and a quick recovery for everyone affected,” the user stated.
I am devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sunday’s show. My fans mean the world to me 😢praying for their families & for a speedy recovery of everyone affected 🙏🏽
— GloRilla 🦍 (@GloTheofficial) March 7, 2023
GloRilla claimed in a previous tweet that she was not aware of what had happened at her show. She reportedly left the area when the stampede started, according to TMZ.
I’m only now learning what happened, she tweeted. “I’m hoping everyone is okay.”
Another performer on Sunday’s lineup, Finesse2Tymes, also expressed sympathy for the victims’ families.
The fatal incident is the subject of an ongoing investigation. Police are investigating a number of potential reasons, including “possibly crowd size, shots fired, pepper spray, and other contributing factors,” according to Police Chief David M. Smith.
