Travis ScottandDrakeattended anAstroworldafterparty at Dave and Buster’s on Friday night — but made an abrupt exit after learning that fans had been killed during the show, according to a source close to Scott.
“After performing, Drake went straight to his already planned party with his crew at Dave and Buster’s. Travis then came to Drake’s party after his performance,” the source tells PEOPLE. “Neither were aware of the severity of what happened. They found out at the party about the fatalities and left right away.”
TMZwas first to report news of the afterparty, which occurred aftereight people diedand an estimated 300 more were injured following a crowd surge at the outdoor music festival at Houston’s NRG Park.
Drake, Travis Scott.Karwai Tang/WireImage; Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty
Though asource previously told PEOPLEScott, 30, was unable to see what was happening during the show and thought that a fan had passed out, the “Sicko Mode” rapper is facing harsh criticism from festivalgoers who believe he was aware of the chaos unfolding before him.
“I remember me being on the ground and the music stopping and I could hear him say, ‘Y’all know what y’all came here for?’ And you can hear everybody screaming out for help,“David McGilver, 20, told PEOPLE. “And then the music just plays back again. I just don’t understand how you can hear everyone screaming out for help and not stop the show at all.”
For more on the tragedy at Astroworld, listen below toour daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day.
In onevideo shared to Twitter, Scott stops performing and points to an ambulance in the crowd, asking, “What the f— is that?” before continuing with the music.
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peñapreviously told PEOPLEthat his department started receiving calls that the situation was “escalating” just before 9:30 p.m. local time, and requested additional resources “because we knew that this was going to escalate.”
Within 10 minutes of that request, the Houston Fire Department had declared a level two mass casualty event.
“We need to get to the bottom of what caused people to start surging…” Peña said. “But more than that, what’s been on my mind is: how could it have been stopped? From my perspective, everybody at that concert had a responsibility, including the crowd, but certainly the security and even the artists. They have a lot of control over the crowd. I’m not saying that this is the answer, but I’ve seen it in other instances where the artist pauses the show, turns on the lights and says, ‘Hey, we need to address whatever before we move forward.'”
Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival.Erika Goldring/WireImage
Drake, meanwhile,weighed in on the tragedyin an Instagram statement Monday in which he said his “heart is broken” for the victims’ families.
“I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy. I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself,” he wrote. “My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering. 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.”
John Hilgert,14;Brianna Rodriguez, 16;Franco Patiño, 21;Axel Acosta, 21;Jacob Jurinek, 21;Rudy Peña, 23; Madison Dubiski, 23; andDanish Baig, 27, have been identified as the eight victims of the tragedy.
Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Scott over the incident, theHouston Chroniclereported.
Among those was the family of Ezra Blount, a9-year-old boy who was “nearly crushed to death"while attending the show with his father, according to the suit.
Ezra is currently in a medically induced coma as doctors attempt to alleviate trauma to his brain, liver and kidney.
source: people.com
