NEW ORLEANS, LA. (THECOUNT) — Rapper Lil Wayne “Lil Weezyana Fest” was the scene of a stampede in New Orleans, LA, on Saturday night, according to reports.
According to the HIPHOPDX, large portions of the audience ran in a panic due to an unknown disturbance at the UNO Lakefront Arena grounds in New Orleans last night.
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Multiple attendees were injured in the stampede, which saw barriers get destroyed and tables being overturned. Concession areas were plagued by theft amid the ruckus and employees abandoned their booths in fear of their safety.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” George Krider, an employee of the catering company operating the drink booths, told the Advocate. “The first thing you think is, ‘Was it gunshots? I think it was a fight.”
The venue is located at, 6801 Franklin Ave, in New Orleans, LA.
Kider said employees tried to salvage what they could before “calling it a day.” Money and liquor were stolen from the booths. Fans were unable to get water later in the night due to the abandoned concessions.
Police reportedly believe a fight or false rumors of gunfire sparked the stampede, which began around 8:40 p.m. local time following Meek Mill’s performance. New Orleans police officers told the Advocate no shots were fired at the festival grounds.
“My brother said to me and my cousin, ‘Run. Just run. I don’t know what’s happening,’” concert attendee Melanie Melasky said. “I turned around at one point to see what was happening, but everyone was running away. No cops were going towards [the stampede].”
After staffers abandoned concession stand nearest stages, Lil WeezyAna Fest attendees looted the remaining drinks pic.twitter.com/UGaMIy7OgP
— Keith Spera (@KeithSpera) September 8, 2019
An estimated 15,000 people were in attendance at the 2019 Lil Weezayana Fest, which was live streamed on TIDAL. Multiple attendees were knocked to the ground or tripped in the stampede and required medical attention at on-site facilities.
Geo quick facts: New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico. Nicknamed the “Big Easy,” it’s known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene and spicy, singular cuisine reflecting its history as a melting pot of French, African and American cultures. Embodying its festive spirit is Mardi Gras, the late-winter carnival famed for raucous costumed parades and street parties – wikipedia.