21 Savage
photo via @rootspicnic

Multiple people injured in stampede at Roots Picnic

False reports of a gun at Roots Picnic led to a stampede during which multiple people were injured, CBS 3 Philly reports. The incident happened during 21 Savage‘s set on Saturday (6/1), when, around 6:30 PM, police say someone claimed to have a gun. In the resulting panic, police say five people were injured; four of them were minors, and one broke a leg. A gun wasn’t found, and no one was arrested in connection with the incident.

A Live Nation spokesperson told ABC 6 Philadelphia that “a medical issue caused the stampede.”

From Philadelphia news site Billy Penn:

According to a concert attendee who spoke with security staff, the cause of the turmoil was a fistfight near the second-largest of three stages.

False rumors quickly spread that there was an active shooter, which fueled fears across the outdoor venue. Philly police arrived on scene shortly after the initial panic, and remained on site. Thousands of attendees left the concert before the final headliners took the stage. Others waited out the melee in makeshift tents and shelters.

Local photographer Karyn Narissia was working the concert when the charge began. She got pushed around a bit and sought treatment at the event’s on-site medical tent. She told Billy Penn that she thought she broke her hand in the disturbance.

The Roots haven’t issued a statement about the incident, but Questlove RT’d a tweet reading, “they were NOT shooting at Roots Picnic.”