Teen says he feared for his life during chaos of concert
Sydney Kalich and Adrienne Bankert
HOUSTON (NewsNation Now) — A 14-year-old concertgoer said he feared for his life and couldn’t breathe as the crowd surged towards the stage during a Travis Scott concert that killed eight people in the chaos.
Jack Scampini was one of the estimated 50,000 people in attendance at Astroworld, a sold-out, two-day event in NRG Park in Houston. As a timer clicked down to the start of Scott’s performance, the crowd pushed forward.
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“There were three sections of the stage. I was in the first one near the back, and I thought it’d be pretty calm, as it was pretty open before Travis came out,” Jack said. “But as soon as just Travis came out, everyone started pushing forward and were making mosh pits and it was just chaos.”
Jack said the chaos continued throughout Scott’s set. Jack and his friends tried to jump over a barricade to escape the surge of concertgoers running toward the stage.
“People were getting choked. I was getting choked,” Jack said. “I couldn’t breathe for a good two minutes. I had to throw someone’s arm off of me because he was trying to get his girlfriend out, because she was just getting, everyone was pouncing on her.”
Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
The crowd watches and dances as Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Scott was performing. Officials declared a “mass casualty incident” just after 9 p.m. Friday during the festival where an estimated 50,000 people were in attendance, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told reporters at a news conference. (Jamaal Ellis/Houston Chronicle via AP)
The crowd watches as Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Scott was performing. Officials declared a “mass casualty incident” just after 9 p.m. Friday during the festival where an estimated 50,000 people were in attendance, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told reporters at a news conference. (Jamaal Ellis/Houston Chronicle via AP)
The crowd watches as Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Scott was performing. Officials declared a “mass casualty incident” just after 9 p.m. Friday during the festival where an estimated 50,000 people were in attendance, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told reporters at a news conference. (Jamaal Ellis/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Festival goers are seen rushing into the VIP area prior to Travis Scott performing during day one of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Scott was performing. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Security walks around the NRG lots where Astroworld was held the night before in Houston on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Travis Scott was performing Friday night. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
This still image taken from a cell phone video provided by Gabe Casey, fans attending a performance by rapper Travis Scott, shout to people to “back up” during the Astroworld music festival, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. Authorities say several people are dead and many others hurt after the crowd at the Houston music festival surged toward the stage, triggering a panic. (Gabe Casey via AP)
A drone image shows the stage area at Astroworld on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Travis Scott was performing Friday night. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Flowers lie against the south fence surrounding the Astroworld festival grounds as festival attendants, from left, Andrew Diaz, Brandon Beauval, Joshua Robinson and Billy Nasser walk by the day after several people died and scores were injured during a concert the night before at NRG Park, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
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Jack said he feared for his life saying he couldn’t breathe “for a good two minutes.”
“It just wasn’t necessary,” Jack said. “And there was no reason for that.”
Investigators are expected to examine the design of safety barriers and the use of crowd control in determining what led to the deaths and injuries.
The dead, according to friends and family members, included a 14-year-old high school student, a 16-year-old girl who loved dancing and a 21-year-old engineering student at the University of Dayton. The youngest was 14, the oldest 27.
