Babak Belurs: Brixton Academy: Security worker dies after Asake gig crush

Senin, 19 Desember 2022

Brixton Academy: Security worker dies after Asake gig crush - BBC

Still of Gabrielle Hutchinson, 23, in a fluorescent jacket

A second woman has died after being injured in a crush at a gig at London's Brixton O2 Academy.

Gabrielle Hutchinson, 23, who was working as a security contractor that night, died in hospital early on Monday.

The concert, by Afro-pop singer Asake, was cut short on Thursday after a "large number of people" tried to force their way inside, the Met Police said.

Mother-of-two Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, from Newham, east London, died on Saturday.

A 21-year-old woman remains in a critical condition in hospital following the crush at Asake's third sold-out show at the south London venue last week.

The Met said: "At this time we have established that the three women who were critically injured, including Rebecca Ikumelo and Gabrielle Hutchinson who have tragically died, were all in the foyer of the building."

It added detectives were "working hard to establish exactly what happened on Thursday night", and described the investigation as "large and complex".

Police are reviewing CCTV, phone footage, speaking to witnesses and conducting forensic examinations.

The first officers were reported to be on the scene at 21:11 GMT, seven minutes after they were called.

Videos on social media showed the crowd stretching from the road outside to the venue's doors, one of which was smashed.

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Ch Supt Colin Wingrove, policing commander for Lambeth and Southwark, said: "It is devastating news that a second person has lost their life following the events on Thursday.

"I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to Gabrielle's family at this unimaginably difficult time."

Florence Eshalomi, the MP for Vauxhall whose constituency includes Brixton, said she felt "utterly heartbroken" by the deaths of the two women.

I am utterly heartbroken to hear this 🙁🙁 2 young lives have now been lost in horrific circumstances, Gabrielle's whilst she was at work. My condolences to all her loved ones after this awful news
I met families on earlier & pray for the woman who remains critical in hospital https://t.co/bjZvByDpy4
— Florence Eshalomi MP (@FloEshalomi) December 19, 2022

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

London's mayor said he was "devastated".

Sadiq Khan said: "Gabrielle, like Rebecca Ikumelo, had her whole life ahead of her and had every right to come home safe and well after her shift, working at Brixton Academy."

Asake, who had urged fans without tickets not to turn up at the venue before his first Brixton concert, released a statement following Ms Ikumelo's death in which he said he was "devastated".

"I am overwhelmed with grief and could never have imagined anything like this happening," he wrote.

Academy Music Group, which owns and runs the venue, previously said its "thoughts are with everyone affected by this devastating news at this extremely difficult time".