Two Dead and Eight Hospitalized After Main Street Armory Stampede

Rochester, NY – A stampede broke out on Sunday, March 5, 2023, at the Main Street Armory. The incident occurred during a GloRilla and Finesse2tymes concert.

According to the Rochester Police Department, the concert was coming to an end when people began to surge and rush towards the exits. There were initially reports of gun shots fired inside the venue, but it was determined there was no evidence of a shooting taking place.

Three people were transferred to the hospital in critical condition. Two people, 33-year-old Rhondesia Belton and 35-year old Brandy Miller, later passed away due to injuries. Seven others were injured and taken to local hospitals. The incident remains under investigation.

On Thursday, March 9, 2023, 35-year old Aisha Stephens of Syracuse, NY, was identified as the third person to have died as a result of this horrible incident.

Crowd Surge Accidents 

Unfortunately, crowd surges can lead to catastrophic injuries. In 2021, eight people died and hundreds were injured at the Astroworld Festival in Houston. When people are packed closely together, there is always a risk for a crowd surge. Crowd management and safety need to be a top priority for event organizers.

At The Barnes Firm, our team of attorneys has experience representing victims of crowd surge accidents. We currently represent a victim injured in the Main Street Armory Stampede in Rochester, and multiple victims injured in the 2022 Barclays Center stampede in Brooklyn. We will investigate all circumstances surrounding a crowd surge accident, and work to help the victims and their families get you the best result possible. This includes investigating:

• Exit plans for the facility
• Emergency exit plans for this event
• The building design for the Main Street Armory
• Concert permits for this event
• The organizers and promoters of this event
• Security presence at the event and their role during exiting
• Exit pathways, lighting, design, and capacities
• The capacity of the venue for this concert
• Crowd management team, training protocols, and their training for emergency evacuations

If you or a loved one were injured at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, call The Barnes Firm today: (800) 800-0000