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An Astroworld security guard bailed on the night of the concert because training lacked and the venue was 'severely understaffed' for the 50,000-strong crowd - an alarm for the deadly crush that would later ensue, where eight were trampled to death and hundreds more were left hospitalized.

Darius Williams was hired just days before the fatal two-day festival, headlined by Travis Scott, under 'pretty vague' conditions and said he finished his training at 11 p.m. the night before the Friday event.

When he showed up to work the next morning, he 'just knew that we were definitely understaffed in every sense of the word,' Williams told TMZ. 

'There was probably one security guard - from what I saw - for every 500 to 1,000,' he predicted. 'So I knew immediately if two people decided to rush the gate it was over with.'

Astroworld security guard Darius Williams was hired just days before the fatal two-day festival under 'pretty vague' conditions. When he showed up for work the next morning he was being put in 'security-type roles, which I didn't have any real training in'. But according to the company's job listing (pictured), security experience wasn't even a requirement 

Videos circulating social media showed Travis Scott (pictured on Friday) continuing to perform after eight people were crushed to death - including two victims aged just 14 and 16 - at Astroworld Festival with one witness saying it was a 'floor of bodies'

Williams said that he was being put in 'security-type roles, which I didn't have any real training in.'

But according to the company's job listing, security experience wasn't even a requirement.

The Contemporary Service Corporation (CSC)'s 'job details' lists responsibilities such as 'handling or assisting with intoxicated guests, act as a deterrent to undesirable behaviors and actions (and) protect people and property as directed.'

However, qualifications for the job were merely being above 18 years old, having a high school diploma and being 'eligible to obtain a non-commissioned security license.'

Williams told TMZ about his experience getting the license less than 24 hours before Astroworld kicked off: 'The training for that was extremely brief. It was an open-book test. 

'The teacher - he was actually giving us the answers as we were going through the books ourselves and trying to hurry up and fill out the answers. 

'This was the night before Astroworld and it was already approaching 11pm. We had been there for three or four hours. We were tired, we were hungry.'

Williams noted that from the time he was hired, through the testing and up until he arrived to work around 7am on Friday, 'they... didn't really tell us what we would be doing, just issued us our uniforms (and) our jackets.'

Around 2pm hundreds of fans stormed the festival's VIP entrance. About seven hours later the surge in front of the main stage killed eight people but the two events appear to be unrelated

An ambulance was seen making its way through the crowd during the Astroworld music festival in Houston

A harrowing video taken by a bystander in the crowd captured an officer performing CPR on a man in cardiac arrest

In a video posted to Twitter an unconscious reveler was recorded being crowd-surfed towards security personnel who were seen carrying the young man's body away

'So I just decided it would be best to just leave and just not work the festival altogether because I just had the feeling I would be in unsafe conditions,' Williams told TMZ. 

'I know that there were several other people that said they wanted to walk out and leave,' he added, although he 'didn't stick around to see if they actually left.'

'I'm sure there are several others that were very unhappy with the entire situation,' he said. 

Nine-year-old boy is in a medically-induced coma after being injured at the hellish Astroworld Festival

Ezra Blount, nine, was dropped by his father as he held him above the crush of bodies and is in a medically-induced coma with extensive damage to his lungs, heart and brain. 

Ezra Blount, nine

The boy traveled from his mother's home in Dallas to see one of his favorite artists with his dad, Treston.

But the father-son outing quickly turned into a nightmare.

Treston said he passed out while holding up Ezra so he wouldn't be crushed. 

When he came to at the venue's medical tent, his son had been admitted by himself to an area hospital as a John Doe.

'Due to his severe injuries which are swelling in the back of brain damage and trauma to nearly all organs we are certain that he was trampled and is still in induced coma,' Treston wrote on a GoFundMe initiative for his son, which raised nearly $7,000 in just three hours.  

Ezra (right) with his father Treston (left) 

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Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner made the shocking claim that a crazed man injected at least one person with opioids during the Travis Scott-headlined chaos at a press conference Saturday.

'One of the narratives was that some individual was injecting other people with drugs. We do have a report of a security officer, according to the medical staff that was out and treated him last night,' Finner said.  

'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,' he added.

It is unclear what drug was injected into the security guard, although Narcan is used to revive people who've overdosed on opioids, including fentanyl.

Williams doesn't know which guard was pricked with a needle but noted that the 'lackluster security measures' could have added to the crush, which killed eight, according to TMZ. 

There have not been any reports of concertgoers being injected with drugs. It also remains unclear if that incident was connected to the deadly crush that also left 25 hospitalized. No further updates have been given on whether the needle-stabber was arrested.

Thousands of festivalgoers surged toward the stage while Scott was performing at NRG Park in Houston, leading to the crush. 

At a press conference, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner revealed that the victims were between 14 and 27 years old. Astroworld organizers canceled the rest of the festival, which had been scheduled to continue on Saturday.

Videos circulating social media showed Scott continuing to perform at Astroworld after eight people were crushed to death - including two victims aged just 14 and 16 - with one witness saying it was a 'floor of bodies. 

Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pena said Saturday during a news conference that the 'mass casualty incident' was declared at 9.15pm. But nearly an hour later, at 10.10pm, concert producer Live Nation halted the show.

As the chaos unfolded, the rapper, who completed his 75-minute set, even appeared to glance in the direction of passed-out fans as the show went on. Scott halted the performance at least once and was filmed calling for security to help distressed fans in the front row.

One video posted to Twitter captured the crowd chanting at one point: 'Stop the show! Stop the show!'

Scott was reportedly seen sobbing afterward, as Pena warned that the death toll could rise further, with 11 people rushed to hospital suffering from cardiac arrests. Families of six out of the eight victims have been notified of their loved one's death. 

Turner said the youngest of the deceased was a 14-year-old Texas boy, but an even younger boy aged just 9 years old was among the hundreds of concertgoers hospitalized during the stampede. 

Before the surge even happened, hundreds of revelers - who did not appear to have tickets - stormed the event's VIP entrance when the gates opened around 2 p.m. local time Friday.

Video showed the crowd of youngsters surging through metal detector arches with at least one also seen jumping an adjoining fence.

A stampede broke out earlier in the day as people burst through the gates at NRG Park

Some people were trampled in the chaos but the stampede does not appear to be related to the multiple injuries related Friday night

Yet the stampede did not appear to be related to the multiple injuries later Friday night during the concert and around seven hours later, at 9.15pm, the fatal surge took place, Pena said, with people at the back pushing people in front of the main stage forward, crushing them against barriers. 

'The crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, and people began to panic,' Pena explained.

The fire chief said the Houston Fire Department had 55 units at the festival. Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite said he was on duty at the festival along with 367 police officers and 241 security personnel.

Finner corrected the figures during Saturday's news conference and said there were actually 528 Houston Police Department officers on duty after a lot of cops from the day shift worked into the night. Live Nation also reported that they had 755 security personnel working during the concert. 

Meanwhile, a memorial is growing outside of NRG Park where people have placed letters, balloons and bouquets at the gate by the venue. 

In a tweet posted Saturday, Scott said he was 'absolutely devastated by what took place last night.'

He pledged to work 'together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need.'

Then on Monday, as 11 lawsuits poured in, Scott pledged to cover all funeral costs and announced that he will be partnering with BetterHelp to supply free one-on-one online therapy to any concertgoers impacted by the tragic events at Astroworld. 

He will also refund the cost of all tickets.

Flowers were placed outside of the canceled Astroworld festival at NRG Park on Saturday

People placed letters, balloons and bouquets at the gate by the venue

Scott's girlfriend Kylie Jenner and their daughter Stormi Webster, three, watched the rapper perform in front of the huge crowd at his Astroworld festival.   

A video Jenner shared to her Instagram story panning the crowd indicated that she was not near the front. The 24-year-old billionaire has since been slammed for the footage, which showed an emergency vehicle in the middle of the crowd.

There was no suggestion that Jenner - who's pregnant with the pair's second child - or Stormi were injured.

Other short videos and pictures Jenner shared to her Instagram story included a special trailer with Stormi's name affixed to the door. 

Jenner's sister Kendall was in attendance too and shared footage of an energized crowd dancing at Scott performed on a fiery stage.

While Jenner is reportedly by Scott's side during this time Kim Kardashian came out in support of the rapper, saying he 'cares so much for his fans.'

'Absolutely heartbroken for the lives who were lost and anyone who was hurt at Astroworld. Just like all of you, our family is in shock by the tragedy,' Kim tweeted. 

'We are keeping all of the victims, families and loved ones impacted in our prayers for healing - as well as Travis who we know cares so much about his fans and is truly devastated.'

Astroworld is rapper Scott's music festival and is being attended by a host of celebrities. Tickets sold for $180 for general admission and $490 for 'stargazer' tickets.

VICTIMS OF TRAVIS SCOTT'S ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL

Eight people died on Friday at Travis Scott's music festival in Houston, Texas, with the victims ranging in age from 14 to 27.

John Hilgert, 14 

John Hilgert, 14 

John Hilgert, of Hunters Creek Village, was identified as one of the concert fatalities on Saturday by officials at Memorial High School, where he was a freshman student.

Hilgert attended Friday's concert with his long-time friend Robby Hendrix, 15.

Henrdix's mother, Tracy Faulkner, bought her son's ticket for his birthday and 'ultimately regrets the decision'.

'Everything about that night was a tragedy,' Faulkner told the Houston Chronicle. 'They were both in the same place at the same time and one came home and one we will never see.'

She said Hilgret and Hendrix had known each other for years and played football together.

'John was a good student and athlete and so polite. He was the sweetest and smartest young man,' she shared.

Brianna Rodriguez, 16 

Brianna Rodriguez, 16

Brianna Rodriguez was a dancer and junior in high school. On Saturday her family confirmed that she was one of the eight victims who died.

A GoFundMe account set up by her family described her as a 'beautiful vibrant 16-year-old'.

'Dancing was her passion and now she's dancing her way to heaven's pearly gates.' 

Jacob Jurinek, 20

Jacob Jurinek attended the concert with his best friend Franco Patino when both were trampled to death. The pair grew up in the same Illinois town of Naperville.  

A friend, going by the name Ana Lissa Marie, was distraught at the death of Jurinek, who was studying art and media at Southern Illinois University, and had traveled to Houston with Patino to celebrate Jurinek's birthday.

'I lost all my respect for Travis Scott,' she tweeted.

'What happened was absolutely disgusting. RIP to all the ones that lost their lives. To Jacob Jurinek, you will be missed kid. thank you for all the laughs.

'My condolences go to all the families that lost lives.'

Other victims included University of Dayton student Franco Patino (right), 21, who was attending the event with his best friend, 20-year-old Jacob Jurinek, when both were trampled to death 

Franco Patino, 21    

The University of Dayton confirmed to DailyMail.com that student Franco Patino of Naperville, Illinois, attended the concert in Houston on Friday.

The mechanical engineering technology major was involved in several campus extracurriculars and had most recently been working in a co-op program in Mason, Ohio.

University president Eric F Spina extended his sympathy and prayers to Patino's loved ones and the campus community.

Patino's fraternity, Alpha Psi Lambda, also issued condolences to his friends and family.

'It is with a very heavy heart, Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc shares that our brother, Franco "Cuauhocelotl" Patino, has passed on to Omega Chapter,' the organization wrote on Facebook.

'We extend our condolences to his family, friends, Alpha Nu Chapter and all that share in this loss. May his memory be eternal.'

The college senior joined the fraternity's University of Dayton chapter last year. 

Patino (left) and Jurinek grew up in the same Illinois town and were best friends

Axel Acosta, 21  

Edgar Acosta on Monday held a press conference with Texas attorney Tony Buzbee to announce he was suing over the death of his son Axel Acosta, who had traveled from Washington to attend the festival - his first concert.

Axel Acosta, 21

'They need to make things change in these type of events,' he said.

'Today it was me. I lost my son. It could've been you,' Acosta said.

'When you send your kid to have some fun, because somebody else is not providing the right... I don't know I can explain. The right security.

'Because it is not the first time that he has been in big events, right?

'You can go to Disneyland and have fun. You can go to a baseball game and have fun. Because they have the right security, the right people, some people assisting those injured.

'It's hard to explain.'

Rodolfo 'Rudy' Peña, 23 

Peña, from Laredo, Texas, died of cardiac arrest after being injured at the show.

He was a medical assistant and criminal justice major with aspirations to become a model and dreamed of one day being a US Border Patrol agent.  

'What happened this past weekend is a direct result of what happens when the pursuit of financial gain and fame take precedence over protecting the lives of the innocent,' said Almaraz Law Firm, representing the Peñas, in a statement.

'It is a testament to the current state of live events and the greed that runs rampant in this industry.

'Nobody should feel unsafe enjoying something they love, and unfortunately this is exactly what has transpired.

'We vow to work diligently and responsibly to bring justice to the Peña family and to all afflicted, and we will not rest until these voices have been heard loud and clear.

'We will hold responsible parties accountable and fight to ensure that something positive comes of this unmitigated disaster. Something must change. Something will change.' 

Rodolfo 'Rudy' Peña, 23

Madison Dubiski, 23

Madison Dubiski of Cypress, Texas, was the eighth and final victim to be identified on Monday.

The former Ole Miss student was yanked from her brother Ty, who tried to pull her to safety, in the surge and disappeared in the crowd.

Dubiski studied at the University of Mississippi between 2016 and 2017 and worked in advertising and marketing. She went to Cy-Fair High School, where she was a Varsity cheerleader and member of National Charity League, a community service organization for mothers and their daughters in middle and high school.

Friends said that her mother Michelle was her best friend and that she was very close with Ty, who graduated from Cy-Fair in 2019.

Madison Dubiski, 23

Danish Baig, 27  

Basil Mirza Baig took to Facebook Saturday announcing that his brother, Danish Baig also died at Astroworld.

'My brother was killed in this horrendous event that was managed poorly and supervised by such horrible people,' Baig wrote.

'People were trampled, walked and stomped on. My brother tried to save my sister-in-law from these horrendous acts that were being done to her in the process he lost his life.'

Baig described Danish as a beautiful soul who put everyone before himself.

'Last night he showed his courageous act to save my sister-in-law from those horrendous things that were being done. I am lost of words and in true trauma from this event,' he added.

'I was there and I wasn't able to save my brother. People were hitting pushing and shoving and did not care for anyone's life.'

Baig also accused the rapper of provoking the chaos by 'calling people to the stage to jump into the crowd' and for 'not stopping the show'.

'This is not the end,' Baig warned. 'My family and I will go to the full extent to make sure he is brought to justice.'

Danish Baig, 27

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