Drake Breaks Silence On 'Devastating' Astroworld Tragedy: 'My Heart Is Broken'
KEY POINTS
- Drake said he spent the past few days trying to "wrap" his mind around "this devastating tragedy"
- The rapper said he "will be of service in any way I can" following the Astroworld tragedy
- Drake was named in a lawsuit filed by a concertgoer, who alleged that he helped incite the crowd
Drake has broken his silence on the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld music festival in Texas Friday.
The 35-year-old rapper, who made a surprise onstage appearance at Travis Scott's Houston show, took to Instagram Monday to share his first statement after a crowd surge at NRG Park killed eight people and left dozens hospitalized.
Drake said in his post that he spent the past few days trying to "wrap" his 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.
He continued, "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."
The rapper set limits on who can comment on his post, but several of his celebrity pals and followers expressed their support.
"All love bro, God bless. Prayers to the families," rapper Mosa commented.
"Real one [praying hands emoji]. Praying for those families," wrote Chris Matthews, also known as "Lethal Shooter."
Several concertgoers have filed lawsuits against Scott, as well as the event's organizers.
Astroworld attendee Manuel Souza is suing Scott, organizer ScoreMore and concert giant Live Nation for gross negligence, which he claimed led to "predictable and preventable tragedy" that left him injured.
Another concertgoer, Kristian Paredes, named Drake in a lawsuit that also named Scott, Live Nation and Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, citing negligence and alleging that the performers helped incite the crowd.
A spokesperson for Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation and venue NRG Park has since shared a statement to the outlet, saying, "Because of pending litigation and ongoing investigations, we are unable to comment."
A day after the incident, Scott released a statement on Twitter addressing the tragedy.
"I am absolutely devastated by what took place last night," Scott said in his statement. "My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival."
The rapper added that the Houston Police Department has his "total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life," adding, "I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need."
In addition to the eight deaths, around 300 people were treated for minor injuries at NRG Park and dozens were transported to area hospitals, including 11 patients who were in cardiac arrest, according to Houston Fire Department's public information officer Asuncion Cortez.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
![Rappers Travis Scott (L) and Drake have been sued for inciting "mayhem" at the Astroworld concert on November 5, 2021, during which eight people were killed when the crowd surged the stage](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/3333221/rappers-travis-scott-l-drake-have-been-sued-inciting-mayhem-astroworld-concert-november-5.jpg?w=736&f=eb70ac5f23ad07bab18ddad83294e18d)
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