Three Women Critical After Chaos at Brixton Academy
Three women remain in critical condition in hospital following a traumatic incident at the O2 Brixton Academy on Thursday night. The victims, aged 21, 23, and 33, suffered serious crush injuries after a large crowd tried to force their way into the venue on Stockwell Road.
Harrowing Scenes as Police Rush to Aid
Police were called at 9.04pm and arrived just seven minutes later. Officers worked alongside venue staff, administering CPR and emergency first aid before paramedics took over. In total, eight people were hospitalised, with three still fighting for their lives tonight.
Urgent Probe Underway as Police Appeal for Witnesses
Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, Lambeth and Southwark policing commander, expressed sympathies for those affected. He confirmed detectives from the Specialist Crime Command are leading the fast-moving investigation. Officers have set up cordons around the venue and are combing through social media footage and bodycam videos to piece together what happened.
“We had around 4,000 potential witnesses at the scene,” said Wingrove. “We urge anyone with information to come forward quickly. Your help could be vital to understanding the cause of this dreadful incident.”
Clarifications and Ongoing Concerns
- Police have reviewed footage of an officer pushing a woman from the venue steps and found no misconduct.
- A separate incident where a woman was seen assaulting an officer led to her arrest.
- Reports of a dog inside the venue were investigated; no police dogs or handlers were present.
- An Independent Office for Police Conduct referral has been made as standard protocol when serious injuries occur during police involvement.
Specialist officers are supporting the families of the injured, while police continue to urge the public for any more photos, videos or eyewitness accounts. The full picture of what ignited the chaos remains unclear, but authorities vow to get to the bottom of it.
