One security guard shares her chilling account of what happened the night of the deadly Astroworld Festival.
Shamira Williams signed up to be a security guard for the weekend. She is a teacher and was confident she had the skills to help. She said the security company she signed up with gave her adequate preparation to do that job.
She said after what appeared to be a pleasant day of attendees having fun, by nightfall, the problems started to magnify.
“I did feel prepared,” Williams said. “But I was not prepared for death.”
Williams said, at some point, she felt worried for the teens who appeared to be sick, overheated, and some under the influence. Her priority as a security guard was safety.
“I care, and I’m a mother and a grandparent, so I was concerned,” Williams said.
Williams said her role was to help if necessary and diffuse any conflicts.
“Scanning the crowd. That’s what we were told to do,” Williams said.
About 50,000 people appeared to be packed like sardines and Williams said she started to voice concerns to her colleagues.
“It got a little rowdy. I told some of the guys who I was working with, ‘They’re going to have to call some more people over here. I don’t think there’s enough of us,’” Williams said.
She said her team alone physically pulled out around 30 people, just in their assigned area.
“It was constant,” Williams said. “We were constantly pulling people out.”
Williams said Travis Scott appeared unaware of the crisis, and at one point stopped the concert to ask to get help to a fan who appeared to have passed out.
“[Travis Scott] didn’t know. How could have he have known?” Williams said.
Williams said with the dark, the loud music, and the lights, it was hard to tell what exactly was happening.
“After that, it was like back-to-back people [dropping to the ground],” Williams said.
She said she will never forget the haunting images, and her heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones.
“Four people were carrying [a teenage boy]. His eyes were open but there was nothing there,” Williams said.
She said more guards and more medics were needed. She also said there were just too many people who came.
“Everybody was literally scrambling to try to save lives,” Williams said. “I don’t think you can ever heal from something like this but I hope and pray that God gives them strength,” Williams said.