WHAT was meant to be a fun-filled night of music turned into a terrifying ordeal for fans in Shurugwi on Saturday after violence broke out at the Vital Lounge during a show featuring Zimdancehall artistes Enzo Ishall and Chillmaster.
The highly anticipated event descended into chaos as angry revellers hurled missiles onto the stage, forcing police to interveneThe sound of what appeared to be a gunshot sent many fans running for their lives.Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and fear as bottles flew across the venue and power was temporarily cut off, worsening the situation.What started as frustration over delayed performances and the no-show of artist Jnr Spragga quickly turned into a night of terror.
“The moment I heard the gun sound, I just froze, then ran. People were screaming and pushing each other.“It was like everyone was trying to escape something dangerous,” said one fan, who identified herself only as Memory.Another man who was at the concert, who only identified himself as Tanaka, said the experience left him shaken.“I was in the VIP section thinking it would be safe but it wasn’t. I was hit by a bottle, and my niece was struck on the head.“It was pure chaos – I thought something worse was going to happen.”Fans said the trouble began around 1am when Chillmaster took to the stage and tried to calm the agitated crowd that had waited for hours.
After his performance, organisers announced that Enzo Ishall would be next on the stage but the delays continued to stalk the programme.When the lights suddenly went off, many thought the show was being cut short, triggering the violent reaction.“The show was disorganised. We paid US$10, but it started too late and one of the main artistes wasn’t even there,” said Trish.“After the blackout and the gun sound, everyone just wanted to get out. I’ve never been that scared at a show.”Police were called in to contain the situation as frightened patrons fled in all directions
Once order was restored, Enzo Ishall eventually performed around 3am, but many fans had already left the venue.Chillmaster said:“My performance went smoothly, and fans were enjoying themselves. I only heard about the violence afterwards.”The incident has left a cloud of fear over live shows in Shurugwi with many patrons now questioning their safety at future entertainment events in this mining town.
