Drake has spoken out publicly for the first time since eight people died and hundreds more were injured on Friday (Nov. 5) at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival. Late on Monday night (Nov. 8), Drizzy took to Instagram to reflect on the “devastating tragedy.”
“I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy,” he wrote in the somber post. “I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief, but this is where I find myself. My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering.”
He added, “I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can. May God be with you all.”
As reported by REVOLT, Scott previously pledged to cover funeral costs for victims’ families and partnered with BetterHelp to offer counseling to festival attendees and anyone else impacted by the tragedy. The Houston native also said he is working with investigators and local law enforcement to “respectfully and appropriately” contact victims’ families so he can offer help “throughout their grieving and recovery process.”
Authorities are still working to determine what caused the “mass casualty” event at the festival. As reported, several concertgoers suffered cardiac arrests; at least one person — a cop — was stabbed with a hypodermic needle; and a surge in the 50,000-person crowd caused attendees to be trampled and lose their breath.
The chaos occurred during Scott’s headlining set, for which Drake also appeared as a surprise performer. So far, at least three attendees have filed lawsuits against Scott, Drake, Live Nation and others accusing festival organizers of negligence.
In a statement on Monday, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said he warned Scott about “the energy in the crowd” prior to his performance on Friday. The Houston Police Department’s investigation into the tragedy is ongoing.
See Drake’s statement on Instagram below.