Asake’s London concert had to be cancelled last night after a stampede that occurred after people tried to force their way into the venue without tickets.
The popular singer, who is currently on his UK music tour, was set to perform before thousands of his fans at the O2 Academy Brixton in London when the chaotic incident took place.
The police confirmed that four people have been hospitalized and are in critical condition due to the crush, while several others suffered varying degrees of injuries.
According to a statement released by Lambeth Police, they were called to the scene around 9:35pm on Thursday night, December 15, and discovered that a large number of people were trying to gain entry into the venue.
They further stated that they have commenced investigation into the tragic incident, and will leave no stone unturn to uncover what truly transpired.
The police statement reads;
Detectives are investigating the circumstances which led to four people sustaining critical injuries in Brixton.
Police were called at 21:35hrs on Thursday, 15 December to the O2 Academy on Stockwell Road, SW9 following reports that a large number of people were attempting to force entry to the venue.
“Officers, London Ambulance Service (LAS) and London Fire Brigade attended and found a number of people with injuries believed to have been caused by crushing.
“Eight people were taken by ambulance to hospital, four of whom remain in a critical condition. LAS treated two other less seriously injured people at the scene.
“An urgent investigation is under way led by detectives from Specialist Crime. Cordons remain in place at the location as officers continue work at the scene. Nobody has been arrested.”
The Metropolitan (MET) Police Gold Commander, Ade Adelekan, who also confirmed the incident, said,
“This is an extremely upsetting incident which has left four people critically ill in hospital. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.
“A police investigation has been launched, and it will be as thorough and as forensic as necessary to establish exactly what happened last night. The scene will be examined by specialist officers, CCTV will be viewed, every witness that we can make contact with will be spoken to and all other lines of enquiry will be followed.
“Officers are remaining in the area to provide reassurance to the local community in and around Brixton. If you have any information or concerns, please speak with them.
“I am aware of video being shared on social media. I would ask people to be sensible about what they share, and not to post material that will be upsetting to those affected by this incident. Where force has been used by police officers, those officers know they have to be accountable for their actions. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards will view all material, including Body Worn Video footage from the officers at the scene. In relation to a clip being widely shared, I can confirm that no police dogs were deployed to the location.”
Watch videos of the incident and people’s reactions on Twitter below,
