The tragic deaths of two people at GloRilla’s concert on Sunday has left the rapper devastated and heartbroken. In her first public statement since the incident, GloRilla expressed her condolences to the families of the victims and said that she is praying for the speedy recovery of everyone affected. The incident occurred at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York, where something caused concertgoers to dangerously rush towards the exits. While police initially investigated whether a gun had been fired or someone had brandished a weapon, they did not find any evidence to support these claims.
When authorities gained entry into the venue after the initial panic, they found three people badly injured in the auditorium. One of the victims, Rhondesia Belton, later died at the hospital, prompting Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to express his condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues. Later on Monday, authorities announced that a second woman had also died of her injuries, while the third person remained in critical condition. In addition to the three critically injured people, seven others were treated at area hospitals for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Crowd size, shots fired, pepper spray, and other contributing factors are all under investigation as possible reasons for the crowd surge. Crowd surges have been in the spotlight in recent years, with incidents at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in 2021 and a similar surge in Seoul, South Korea in October 2022 that killed at least 154 people.
GloRilla’s rise to fame has been notable in recent years, with her hit song “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” being nominated for Best Rap Performance. Her recent shows have also made headlines, such as when TMZ reported in February that concertgoers in Oakland, California had attacked the rapper during a performance at the New Karribean City nightclub.
The incident at GloRilla’s concert is a tragic reminder of the importance of safety measures at events with large crowds. Concert organizers should take steps to prevent crowd surges, such as controlling the flow of people and ensuring that exits are clearly marked and accessible. Additionally, emergency medical personnel should be on hand to provide assistance if necessary.
In the wake of the incident, GloRilla has an opportunity to use her platform to raise awareness about the importance of safety at concerts and other events. She can work with event organizers and authorities to ensure that proper safety measures are in place and that tragedies like this one do not happen again.