Who was Brianna Rodriguez? Astroworld Festival victim's sister shares heartbreaking tribute

Iris and Brianna Rodriguez (Image via Iris Rodriguez/ Facebook)
Iris and Brianna Rodriguez (Image via Iris Rodriguez/ Facebook)

Brianna Rodriguez was among the eight attendees killed at the Travis Scott-led Astroworld Festival on November 5. She was 16.

Fatal chaos broke out at Houston's NRG Park when a large crowd compressed towards the front of the stage, setting off panic. The sold-out event saw 50,000 attendees.

By the end of the tragic night, several were injured and were being treated at the site. As many as 17 people were rushed to the hospital, of which 11 were reported to be in cardiac arrest.

An investigation into the stampede is underway. However, new reports claim that an unidentified suspect was spotted injecting people with a mysterious drug. A security officer complained of a needle prick before he reached out to pull someone from the crowd.

During a press briefing on Saturday, Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner noted that drugs could be involved.

He said:

"We do have a report of a security officer, according to the medical staff that was out and treated him last night. He was reaching over to restrain or grab a citizen and he felt a prick in his neck. He went unconscious, they administered Narcan. He was revived, and medical staff did notice a prick similar to a prick you would get if somebody was trying to inject."

As of this writing, it's unclear whether the incident is related to the deadly events that unfolded that evening. The investigation is ongoing.


Who was Brianna Rodriguez?

According to her sister Iris Rodrguez's tribute note on Facebook, Brianna Rodriguez was a "beautiful, vibrant 16-year-old high school junior at Heights HS in Houston." She was also a dance enthusiast. Iris eulogized:

"She is now dancing her way to heaven’s pearly gates."

A Twitter user, who claims to be Brianna Rodriguez's friend, shared a screengrab of the post and encouraged people to donate towards funeral expenses.

She said:

"My friend, Brianna Rodriguez, was a victim of the Astroworld fest incident. If you guys could please donate or share, it would be really helpful for her family. Anything counts and is appreciated. #ASTROWORLDFest #ASTROFEST."

During a conference held on Saturday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told reporters that the victims were reportedly between the ages of 14 and 27 years old. Franco Patino was among those who passed away in the tragic incident.

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