‘No basis for criminal charges’ in deadly concert stampede at Rochester event venue, city officials say
Police tape remains on the ground outside of the Main Street Armory on Monday
By Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN
Officials in Rochester, New York, said an investigation found no basis for criminal charges in a concert stampede in March that left three people dead.
The announcement came after a months-long, multi-departmental investigation into the incident at Rochester’s Main Street Armory, the City of Rochester said in a statement. The probe included “numerous interviews and comprehensive inspections” among the information that was considered by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, the statement read.
The event venue, which holds a maximum of 5,000 people, was hosting a GloRilla concert at the time of the deadly stampede.
Police at the time said the crowd rushed toward exits, leading to a stampede, after people thought they heard gunshots.
“In light of the tragedy at the Armory, the City is reviewing its entertainment licensing procedures to identify and implement additional conditions that would increase safety and security for entertainment patrons in Rochester,” the city said. The venue was “current and compliant” with all fire codes at the time of the incident, CNN previously reported.
The tragedy in Rochester followed a series of deadly crowd surges at entertainment events. In 2021, eight people died at the Astroworld music festival in Houston. Last fall, 158 people were killed in a crush of people during Halloween festivities in a nightlife district of Seoul, South Korea.
The-CNN-Wire
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