On Saturday, three people were injured at the Lovers & Friends Festival in Las Vegas. The attendees were injured in a crowd rush out of the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
During the first night of the festival, around 10:00 p.m., attendees began fleeing the venue after reportedly hearing gunfire. In the melee, three people were taken to the hospital to treat their minor injuries.
Despite the commotion of what the authorities called a “security incident,” which was displayed on the festival screens, the festival was able to continue without incident. A spokesperson from the Las Vegas Police Department stated, “At this time, there is no evidence of a shooting and the initial report has been deemed unfounded.”
The first annual Lovers & Friends Festival was first announced back in July 2021 on Instagram. It bolstered a star-studded line-up of performers, headlined by Usher, Ludacris and Lil Jon, and Ms. Lauryn Hill. Also included were Ne-Yo, Ciara, Nelly, Ashanti and Ja Rule, Timbaland, T-Pain, SWV, and others.
Originally slated for May 14, a second date, May 15, was added in August 2021 after “overwhelming demand” for tickets once they became available. The festival gets its name from the title of Lil Jon, Usher, and Ludacris’ 2004 hit single.
Brandy was originally scheduled to perform at the festival but had to cancel at the last minute after contracting COVID-19. She shared the news on her Instagram page, expressing her regret, as well as exclusive clips from her rehearsals for her planned set.
Although The Lovers & Friends festival evaded a potentially catastrophic situation in the aftermath of November’s Astroworld Fest tragedy, attendees took to social media to complain about services. Several concertgoers stated that the festival ran out of water and that a lack of shaded areas made the more than 90-degree temperatures difficult to endure.
And many did not like the fact that the festival was allowed to continue after the crowd rush.
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