Upset that her young nephews missed the Bud Billiken Parade over the weekend, Christina Holt decided to treat them to their very first concert: Lil Durk at the United Center.
Near the end of his set, around 10 p.m. Saturday, Lil Durk told the crowd: “Give me a minute.” Then he and the rest of the band left the stage.
Holt and the boys, ages 10 and 11, were curious but didn’t think much of it as they walked to a concession stand for snacks. “Nobody was thinking violence,” said Holt, 35, from Chicago’s West Side.
But Lil Durk had left the stage because his personal security team said it had spotted two people with weapons, apparently at Gate 5 of the stadium, according to police.
Soon, unconfirmed reports of a shooting were circulating through the center, sending more than 11,000 fans rushing for the exits. Panicked fans charged down the halls, yelling and fighting as they tried to leave.
“It was a stampede,” Holt said. “We were stepped on, walked on and knocked down.”
Unconfirmed reports of a shooting/active shooter at the United Center during the WGCI Summer Jam/ Lil Durk 2nd show in Chicago .
— Boss Blaze (@BossBlaze1) August 13, 2023
Mixed stories but we will keep you guys updated .
CHECK ON YOUR PEOPLE 😳#chicago #lildurk #concert #fights #shooting #brawl #riot #bustin #explore pic.twitter.com/cVj85cJbtA
Jeremy Payton, a local rapper who sings under the name Boss Blaze, described the scene as “mass hysteria.”
“Everyone was hanging out, having a good time. Then slowly everyone stopped paying attention to the music,” he said. “The commotion never died down, it escalated. It was like a domino effect. There was a fight with some females in front of me. The energy just ping-ponged. Then the guys started fighting.”
Payton took video of people stealing merchandise from tables. He stayed crouched nearby until he saw three or four Chicago police officers run by with rifles, directing people to leave.
“When I saw them run past with guns, I felt this was my moment to escape,” Payton said.
Meanwhile, Holt and her nephews were balled up on the floor behind the concession stand. “We were trying to find safety,” she said.
As the boys screamed they wanted to go home, Holt frantically called her dad, who asked where they were in the stadium. She told him she didn’t know.
“We weren’t sure we would make it out alive,” Holt said.
Part 2 😳 it’s bustin
— Boss Blaze (@BossBlaze1) August 13, 2023
Unconfirmed reports of a shooting/active shooter at the United Center during the WGCI Summer Jam/ Lil Durk 2nd show in Chicago .
CHECK ON YOUR PEOPLE 😳#chicago #lildurk #concert #fights #shooting #brawl #riot #bustin #explore #fyp pic.twitter.com/0iperUoo2z
Stadium staff eventually opened a back kitchen door and told them to leave. Once outside, Holt called 911 for an ambulance. They all spent the night at Rush Hospital.
On Monday, Holt was recovering at home, on crutches and wearing a brace. She said the boys have been having nightmares.
“I can’t walk. I have a big gash right at the end of my knee,” Holt said, adding the she was also treated for large bruises and has “major pain.”
“In my 35 years of life I have never seen anything like this,” Holt said. “It was horrible.”
The most serious injury reported was to a 20-year-old Aurora woman, who said she was stabbed in the forehead when a fight broke out.
“I’m fine,” Laila Cole told the Sun-Times, adding that she was treated at the scene. “I’m just in pain from the incident.”
PART 3
— Boss Blaze (@BossBlaze1) August 13, 2023
Unconfirmed reports of a shooting/active shooter at the United Center during the WGCI Summer Jam/ Lil Durk 2nd show in Chicago .
Mixed stories but we will keep you guys updated . CHECK ON YOUR PEOPLE!#chicago #lildurk #concert #fights #shooting #brawl #riot #bustin pic.twitter.com/Onc8GSvDFH
Police said Cole had gotten into an argument with three women. Cole was struck several times before someone stabbed her, according to police. She was treated at the scene.
After the show, Durk posted to social media: “Don’t believe the hype we bigger then big thank you Chicago. Who all stole the merchandise tag me so I can report y’all crazy a— .”
Durk, 30, had reportedly canceled most of his tour’s shows following a medical episode in July, except for shows Friday and Saturday at the United Center. He performed solo on Friday and on Saturday was part of the WGCI Summer Jam.
