One person was killed and at least nine others were injured in a stampede after reports of a shooting at a Glorilla concert in Rochester, New York, on Sunday night.
Fans were leaving rapper Glorilla’s concert at the Main Street Armory as it ended just after 11 p.m. The Rochester Police Department said in a news release that when they thought they heard gunshots inside the venue, the crowd gathered and ran for the exits.
“We have no evidence of shots being fired or anyone being shot or stabbed,” the statement said.
Officers from outside the venue made their way inside where they found three women “with significant injuries”.
One of them, a 33-year-old woman, did not survive her injuries, and two others are “fighting for their lives” in critical condition, police said.
“As the night wore on, an additional seven people arrived at local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries from the incident,” police said. “Preliminary reports from people at the scene indicate that these injuries were caused by crushing.”
It is also unclear why the fans thought they heard gunshots.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident as to what caused it, as well as who may be responsible.
Glorilla, whose real name is Gloria Hallelujah Woods and whose 2022 song “F.N.F. (Let’s go)” was nominated for a Grammy for best rap performance, with Hitkid saying in a tweet just before 12:15 a.m. Monday that she was “hearing about what just happened.”
“It’s okay for everyone to pray,” said the artist.
Glorilla was one of several artists to perform at the recent Grammy Awards Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Tribute, which featured a star-studded lineup including Missy Elliott, Ice-T, Busta Rhymes, Public Enemy, Nelly, Queen Latifah, and Run- Was. D.M.C.
Sunday night’s incident is the latest crowd fatality reported at a concert in the US in 2021 after a huge crowd at a show by rapper Travis Scott killed 10 people.