Lollapalooza Stabbings: Two Men Wounded At Popular Music Festival

Two stabbings have taken place over the past two days in and around Lollapalooza, according to ABC News. One incident involved an argument between two twenty-somethings on Saturday, while the other involved the attempted robbery of a 53-year-old ticket scalper Friday night.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the aforementioned young men were arguing near the intersection of Jackson and Columbus when one of them pulled a knife. As the confrontation escalated, the offender slashed his foe with said weapon, resulting in a “minor laceration.” During the fight, the attacker somehow managed to slice himself open, as well. Both me were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Nearly 24-hours before this scuffle, a 53-year-old ticket scalper was attacked by a group of ruffians looking to rob the guy of his possessions. A tense struggle between the attackers and their intended victim quickly ensued. During the scuffle, one of the would-be thieves pulled a knife and stabbed the scalper. He, too, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment. My Fox Chicago states the victim is in stable condition.

These stabbings weren’t the only problems authorities faced during the sold-out musical festival over the weekend. Since tickets were cleaned out weeks ago, large groups of would-be concert goers gathered outside the event in hopes of finding a way inside. At one point, a particularly rowdy cluster of teenage music lovers decided to challenge security and jump the fence.

“Everyone congregated on the corner. It was probably 3-hundred people and they were like 1-2-3 let’s go. Security looked at us and said guys bring it,” one witness explained.

In order to keep festival-related crime at a bare minimum, uniform and undercover police were sprinkled throughout the event. Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said they would not hesitate to step in should the crowds get out-of-hand.