During a concert at the Rochester Main Street Armory, Memphis rap star GloRilla and rapper Finesse2Tymes were performing when attendees heard gunshots. As a result, they began to surge toward the exits.
The stampede killed three people and injured seven others. Aisha Stephens, Rhondesia Belton and Brandy Miller all died from their injuries.
Aisha Stephens
Rochester police have confirmed that a third person has died following the glorilla concert stampede that killed two women. The victim is identified as 35-year-old Aisha Stephens of Syracuse, N.Y.
During a Sunday evening performance by Memphis, Tennessee, rap artists GloRilla and Finesse2tymes at the Rochester Main Street Armory, people began rushing toward the exits after they heard what they believed to be gunshots. Despite no evidence of gunfire, the incident led to several injuries and a stampede.
The stampede was the latest in a series of deadly crowd surges at concerts. It also resembles another deadly incident at London’s Brixton Academy in December, where two people died and a woman is still in critical condition. And in Houston in November 2021, a stampede at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival left 10 dead. This event also sparked an investigation, as officials in western New York revoked the venue’s entertainment license on Wednesday while investigators delve into what caused the fatal stampede.
Rhondesia Belton
Two people died and several others were injured after a stampede broke out Sunday evening following a performance by Memphis, Tennessee, rap stars GloRilla and Finesse2tymes at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York. Authorities stated that the commotion possibly stemmed from baseless concerns about gunfire erupting within the premises, prompting the stampede.
Rhondesia Belton, 33, of Buffalo, was one of the victims. She was killed as concert-goers rushed toward the exits after the performance, according to Rochester police.
In the midst of it all, Mayor Malik Evans of Rochester condemned the tragic stampede as “completely unacceptable” and vowed to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into whether the event organizers had implemented the essential safety protocols for managing a sizable gathering.
Rhondesia Belton and Brandy Miller were killed in the commotion, which happened when a crush of concertgoers surged towards the exits after GloRilla and Finesse2tymes performed. The third person to die in the stampede was Aisha Stephens, 35, of Syracuse.
Brandy Miller
The third person killed following a glorilla concert stampede Sunday night at the Rochester Armory is Brandy Miller, 35. Her death was announced Tuesday by police.
Her family describes her as a loving and caring person who loved life. She was a daughter, sister, aunt and nursing assistant who treated her elderly patients like family.
She was a hard worker and always put her best foot forward. Her family says she was a very giving person who would give you anything she had.
She was a true hero. Doctors and nurses lined the hallway at Strong Hospital to honor Brandy as her body was brought in to donate her organs. Her heart, kidney’s and liver were used to save four other lives.
Rochester Police Chief David Smith
A third person died following a glorilla concert stampede at the Rochester Main Street Armory on Wednesday. According to Associated Press, police identified the victim as 35-year-old Aisha Stephens of Syracuse.
The stampede happened just after 11 p.m. Sunday night as fans were exiting the venue after a concert by Memphis rappers GloRilla and Finesse2tymes. It left one woman dead and two others in critical condition, police said.
Describing the deadly stampede as a “profound tragedy,” Mayor Malik Evans pledged an exhaustive investigation into the matter. He also vowed to hold the concert’s operators accountable.
Smith, who served as interim chief since October, was appointed by Evans and took over the full-time job last week. A seasoned officer with a tenure spanning decades, he embarked on his journey as a patrol officer in 1992, steadily ascending through the ranks over the years.
