Car Crashes Into Crowd at SXSW, 23 People Transported to Hospital, Multiple Fatalities
Early Thursday morning, a sedan ran over a crowd of people outside of the Mohawk in Downtown Austin, Texas, during SXSW. Police are reporting 23 injured, 5 in critical condition, and two deceased.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman, via AP
At approximately 12:30 a.m. Thursday morning, a silver Toyota sedan with a cracked windshield plowed through barricades and crashed into a crowd of over twenty pedestrians in Downtown Austin, Texas, during SXSW, according to the Austin Police Department and multiple eyewitness reports. Austin PD is reporting that 23 people were transported to the hospital. Of those, five are in critical condition, and two are deceased. The two deceased were reportedly operating a moped.
The accident occurred between 9th Street and Red River outside The Mohawk, a celebrated outdoor music venue. Rapper Tyler, The Creator, was playing a hotly anticipated show when the crash occurred, with the vehicle running over a crowd of people assembled outside. The suspect is reportedly in custody and was under the influence of alcohol, according to numerous reports. Several journalists were on hand to capture the aftermath. This is a developing story...
UPDATE: Austin Police Chief Acevedo says the crash started as a DWI stop at a nearby gas station when the suspect, a black male, sped off and struck two people on a moped (a man and a woman) while speeding the wrong way down a one-way street. He also struck a taxi and a van before fleeing on foot. He was tased and taken into custody.
APD working a multiple fatality crash at 10th/Red River. PIO is responding.
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 13, 2014
Reports are coming in of a car accident involving several people outside the Mohawk. Story is developing. pic.twitter.com/SHrgEyUf3o
— Austin Statesman (@statesman) March 13, 2014
A presumably drunk driver just hit two-three people outside the Mohawk #sxsw pic.twitter.com/wyYFuduQDl
— SPIN (@SPINmagazine) March 13, 2014
Here's the scene outside of Mohawk right now at #sxsw after a car ran through dozens of people. pic.twitter.com/XwdspxOf3o
— Colin Kerrigan (@colinkerrigan) March 13, 2014
Red River, earlier pic.twitter.com/dYulKNvFBx
— SPIN (@SPINmagazine) March 13, 2014
Police leading a group of crying people to a courtyard on west side of Red River, by east 10th. This is horrible.
— SPIN (@SPINmagazine) March 13, 2014
23 individuals have been transported. Of those 5 are in critical condition, 2 deceased. #SXSW
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 13, 2014
Individual is in custody. More details shortly. The names of the deceased will not be released until proper notifications have been made.
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 13, 2014
Next briefing re: the Red River incident will take place at 10:30 a.m. No new info. at this time. Location TBD. Thanks & be safe! #SXSW
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 13, 2014
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