GloRilla 'Devastated' by Deadly Crowd Surge

In her first public statement, GloRilla said she is "devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sunday’s show" and that "my fans mean the world to me." She added that she's "praying for their families and for a speedy recovery of everyone affected."

In its initial report after the incident in Rochester, New York, AP said that "something" caused concertgoers to dangerously rush the exits of the Main Street Armory. Police later said they did not initially find any evidence that a gun had been fired or someone had brandished a weapon, per speculation following the incident.

When authorities gained entry into the venue after the initial panic, they found three people who were badly injured in the auditorium. Rhondesia Belton later died at the hospital, which prompted Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to tweet: “Her family, friends, and colleagues are devastated and left to mourn this tragic loss. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers."

Later Monday, authorities announced that a second woman whose name was not released had also died of her injuries, while the third person remained in critical condition.

AP also reports that in addition to the three critically injured people police initially found at the venue, seven additional people "were treated at area hospitals for injuries that were not life threatening." Police told the outlet that “crowd size, shots fired, pepper spray and other contributing factors" are all under investigation as possible contributing factors to the crowd surge.

GloRilla's profile has been on the rise over the last year, with her hit song "F.N.F. (Let's Go)" nominated for Best Rap Performance. Her recent shows also made headlines when TMZ reported in February that concertgoers in Oakland, California had attacked the rapper during a performance at the New Karribean City nightclub.

Related | Travis Scott Accused of 'Shifting Blame' Over Astroworld Deaths

Crowd surges have been in the spotlight due to Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival in 2021 that killed 10 people and left hundreds injured, alongside a similar surge in Seoul, South Korea in October 2022 that killed at least 154 people.

Photo via Kyle Gustafson/Getty.