Houston Police chief walks back story of Astroworld Festival guard knocked out with drug injection
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner on Wednesday gave his second news conference since Friday's deadly Astroworld Festival crowd surge. Finner told reporters the festival organizers were the only ones who could have shut down the concert as hundreds of people were crushed or asphyxiated, leading to at least eight deaths, and they have not yet given investigators clear records about the private security personnel hired to work the event.
An attorney for Travis Scott, the festival founder and the performer during the deadly crowd surge, said an operational plan for the event gave only the festival director and executive producers the power to stop the concert, and none of them are "part of Travis'" crew." Finner said about 530 Houston police officers worked the festival but dismissed calls for an "independent investigation," saying the Houston Police Department can investigate the deaths themselves.
"Finner was defensive at times and criticized what he described as rumors and speculation surrounding what happened," The Associated Press reports. He also "said there was no evidence that a security guard near the crowd had unknowingly received an injection during the show," speculation he himself had passed along.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The guard had originally said "someone pricked his neck, and we felt it could have been something ingested," Finner said. "We did locate that security guard. His story's not consistent with that. He says he was struck in his head, he went unconscious, he woke up in the security tent. He says that no one injected drugs in him." People in the medical profession had found the knocked-out-with-a-needle-prick story implausible at best.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 19, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - junk food, health drinks, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Band Aid 40: time to change the tune?
In the Spotlight Band Aid's massively popular 1984 hit raised around £8m for famine relief in Ethiopia and the charity has generated over £140m in total
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Starmer vs the farmers: who will win?
Today's Big Question As farmers and rural groups descend on Westminster to protest at tax changes, parallels have been drawn with the miners' strike 40 years ago
By The Week UK Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
5 charged in connection to Matthew Perry's death
Speed Read The suspects involved in the actor's fatal ketamine overdose took advantage of him, prosecutors say
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published