Two killed in stampede at New York rap concert

ROCHESTER, NY (AP) — Two people have died after a stampede at a rap concert in Rochester, NY that authorities say may have been sparked by false shooting rumors.

Rap stars GloRilla and Finesse2tymes, both of Memphis, had just wrapped up their Sunday night show at the Main Street Armory in Rochester when something caused people to rush dangerously to the exits shortly after 11 p.m., the chief of Police David M. Smith at a news conference Monday.

“We have no evidence that any shots were fired or that anyone was shot or stabbed at the scene,” he said.

Ikea Hayes, who was at the concert, returned to the scene on Monday to pick up some items left behind.

“I was watching my life flash before my eyes, and I still don’t know what was going on,” he told WHEC television in Rochester. She described being “on the ground, scared, praying, as if to say, ‘you have to get up, you have to move. If you stay here, they’ll keep running after you. So we have to stop. You have to move.

Police found three seriously injured women in the auditorium. One of them, Rhondesia Belton, died in a hospital. Belton, 33, worked for the Buffalo Traffic Violation Bureau.

Rochester police announced Monday night the death of a 35-year-old woman whose name has not been released. Another woman was still in critical condition, he added. Seven other people were receiving treatment in area hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries.

“What started as a night of live music and fun for artist GloRilla ended in tragedy,” Smith said.

Although there was no evidence of a shooting, he added, several possible causes for the stampede are being investigated, including “possibly the size of the crowd, gunshots , irritating gases or other factors”.

Mayor Malik Evans called the stampede “totally unacceptable” and promised a full investigation.

“We’re going to hold people accountable for what happened last night, period,” he said.

GloRilla, from Memphis, whose song “FNF (Let’s Go)” featuring Hitkidd was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Performance, tweeted that she’s “praying everyone is doing well.”