Three people were hospitalized after a crowd rush at the Lovers & Friends Festival in Las Vegas.
A stampede erupted and several people were trampled after hundreds of attendees fled the Las Vegas Festival Grounds around 10 p.m. on Saturday (May 14). Some concertgoers reported hearing gunshots, however, police debunked reports of a shooting.
“Shortly after 10 p.m., gunfire was reportedly heard near the site of the Lovers & Friends Festival, causing a large group of attendees to exit the venue,” the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement. “At this time, there is no evidence of a shooting and the initial report has been deemed unfounded.”
A message appeared on screens that said there was a “security incident” and authorities were investigating. According to Variety, festival organizers attribute the incident to fans rushing the barricade.
Police confirmed that three people were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
After a slight delay, the festival resumed with a headlining performance from Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, plus a closing set from Ms. Lauryn Hill.
Presented by Live Nation, the two-day festival featured a hip-hop and R&B-heavy lineup including TLC, Lil’ Kim, Xscape, Timbaland, Ja Rule, Ashanti, Cassie, and more.
Lovers & Friends was originally scheduled for May 2020 in Carson, Calif., but was rescheduled in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.