Jamil Hayes (center rear), 25, huddles up with his teammates and their coach, Chicago CRED Outreach Coordinator Terrence Henderson, during a basketball tournament organized by CRED in Hyde Park on Oct. 8. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

With violence spiking at summer’s end, Chicago CRED recruits at-risk South Siders with offers of safe place to play ball

On a recent Friday night, some of the most dangerous and endangered people in Chicago played basketball at a Hyde Park fieldhouse.

The Chicago CRED basketball tournament, an ad hoc schedule of basketball games, was reaching its conclusion, with the team in black jerseys up 48-39 over the team in white.

It might have surprised the middle schoolers running baseball drills on the opposite side of the gymnasium to know the two teams are made up of some of the most likely victims — or perpetrators — of Chicago’s gun violence.

The players are mostly young men, all gang-affiliated and from the South Side communities of Roseland or West Pullman, where CRED has established a network of outreach workers over the last three years.

Based on CRED’s analysis of recent shootings and arrests, along with information outreach workers glean from the streets, any of the 16 players who showed up for the game rank as roughly 25 times more likely to be shot than an average Chicagoan. Most are not aware of the exact calculus that goes into CRED’s formula, but they are acutely attuned to the unique risks they face in trying to find a basketball game.

“I’m not gonna lie, I can’t play basketball on any court in Chicago, but there are places I can play,” said Jamil Hayes, a rangy, broad-shouldered 25-year-old who had done most of the scoring for the white team.

Hoops ability was not why Hayes was recruited for the game; his recent life experience and social network made him a target for CRED — and gang rivals. A former high school and AAU league player, Hayes found his way into games almost daily until last September, when his ankle was shattered by a bullet outside a friend’s home.

As he took the court for the CRED game, he was diverting his mind from the murder of a close friend a few days earlier in Rockford — a killing Hayes witnessed via chilling doorbell camera video that made TV news upstate.

Despite the hardware still in his ankle, Hayes bounds down the court with abandon, dishing passes to teammates who might be mortal enemies — if he were to ask what block they lived on.

With his team trailing by nine points as the clock wound down, Hayes missed a free throw, another bad bounce in the trajectory of a hard week. Instead of racing back to defend the ensuing fast break, he plopped onto the floor and scowled at his coach, CRED Outreach Coordinator Terrence Henderson.

Final score: Hayes’ white team 39, black team 50.

“You do this to me every week!” Hayes complains.

Henderson shrugs. After the game, he will admit he has indeed stacked the rosters each week so that Hayes’ team is undermanned. Hayes is precisely the sort of high-risk player Henderson wants to recruit into CRED’s intensive program of cognitive behavioral therapy, job training and placement. He’d like to lure some of Hayes’ associates as well.

“I know if (Hayes) doesn’t win because he ain’t got no teammates, he’s going to go out and recruit his boys and bring them,” Henderson says with a smile. “Those are the guys we want to be here.”

Basketball leagues are not an official component of CRED’s anti-violence efforts, which were launched in 2016 with a multimillion-dollar grant from the Palo Alto-based Emerson Collective, a charity founded by Laurene Powell Jobs. The league was formed in a matter of days in early September, as CRED staff was at a loss to squash a violent feud between gang factions on the South Side.

Henderson oversees a team of 18 outreach workers, mostly former South Side gang members who daily walk the streets of Roseland and West Pullman with a list of candidates for the program.

Outreach workers also rush to the scene of every shooting scene in the two neighborhoods — reaching out to relatives of victims and trying to suss out the story behind the violence, so they can reach out to the shooters as well.

Young men who’ve recently been shot are often less receptive to help and empowerment, even when the offer includes paid training and, in some cases, housing assistance. They have immediate concerns that make long-term change seem improbable. And on average, CRED participants have been contacted by outreach workers nearly three dozen times before signing up for the two-year curriculum.

For months, outreach workers also try to broker peace agreements among rival gang groups; by this summer, they’d assembled truces among about a dozen factions. But by late August, that fragile peace was fraying as a gang clique based on 118th Street was trading shootouts with one on 119th Street. During that month, the clashes led to two fatal shootings, and outreach workers were at a loss to defuse the conflict.

CRED’s staff investigated and believed the shooters were part of a Latin Kings faction CRED had yet to penetrate, though the 118th and the 119th street groups were targeting each other because of misinterpreted social media barking. Convincing the rival factions was proving tough. As Labor Day weekend approached, Henderson’s team needed to get high-risk players off the streets and out of harm’s way.

Henderson, himself a former gang member, got his start as a non-violence activist nearly a decade ago, recruiting fellow gangsters to play in St. Sabina Church’s Peace League. Since coming to work for CRED five years ago, he’d envisioned building a similar tournament for the Far South Side. This summer, he rushed to pull together the first CRED game, with the help of the non-profit PeacePlayers, in a matter of days.

The first games were played Labor Day weekend on outdoor courts in Gately Park, but that limited the appeal for gang-involved players CRED was trying to enlist.

“Young guys like athletics. They’ll do a lot to be able to get into a game,” Henderson said. “A lot of these guys are too hot to go to a park and hoop, because they don’t know who’s going to roll by.”

The next round of games was played indoors in Pullman, but the evening’s hoops were canceled about midway through the two-hour session, after a car went squealing through the parking lot and a passenger shot up a parked car.

When the games resumed two weeks later, black tire streaks still marked the path of the shooters’ car across the parking lot, and bow-tied Nation of Islam security guards hired by CRED patted down each player as they arrived.

Since the shooting, Henderson has had most players board a windowless van to commute to games together, hoping to draw less attention from rivals than showing up in their own cars.

Players are reminded not to break out their phones or post their whereabouts on social media, so rivals won’t know where they are. The location for the final game was changed several times, The Pullman courts were double-booked; the move to the Hyde Park gym was finalized only hours before tip-off.

The confusion likely hurt turnout, which was off by about half for the final game, and the ad hoc nature of the games seemed to offend Henderson’s sense of professionalism. The games he organized with St. Sabina’s featured appearances by Bulls players and other NBA stars, and Henderson envisions more production value when CRED’s league resumes around Thanksgiving.

Henderson counts the inaugural league a success. While the play on the floor included plenty of bobbled passes and ill-advised jump shots, the rest of the scene could pass for a high-end rec league. Players wear matching, numbered jerseys. Two referees roam the court, a pair of PeacePlayers staff keep score and run the clock. Henderson and his opposing coaches barking encouragement from courtside.

Despite the lopsided score throughout the game, there is minimal trash-talking. In 40 minutes of play, there aren’t even any particularly hard fouls. It could have been a church league, observes a PeacePlayers scorekeeper.

“We don’t really work with this age group or this (at-risk) population,” said PeacePlayers manager Angela Johnson. “But on the court, everything has been just fine.”

The games have given CRED’s outreach team a few hours with young men they otherwise might be lucky to spend just a few minutes with on the street.

Hayes’ best friend had been in CRED’s program for more than a year, but Hayes started the process to become a full participant in CRED’s program just a few weeks ago. Once enrolled, he’ll commit about 40 hours a week to the CRED curriculum.

While Hayes left the court in a funk after yet another loss, Henderson expects him back for Friday basketball as well.

“He’s mad,” Henderson said. “But he’s going to be back with some of his boys.”

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Mount Carmel’s Darrion Gilliam (17) and Joey Thompson (27) celebrate Gilliam’s touchdown against Batavia. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

A load of new teams join after reaching the quarterfinals.

Some big names fell out of the rankings this week after picking up losses in the second round. At this point I’m sticking with teams that are still playing.

At the end of the season I’ll go back and take a look at the season overall. It’s likely teams such as Batavia, St. Ignatius and maybe Warren pop back up in the final Super 25.

A load of new teams join after reaching the quarterfinals. Marist, Prospect, Prairie Ridge, and Nazareth all return to the Super 25 and Glenbrook South, Jacobs, Willowbrook and Lake Forest make their first appearances of the season.

Glenbrook South has been a clear miss for me over the last few months. I kept getting close to putting the Titans in but continually wound up choosing another team. They beat Hinsdale Central 14-7 on Saturday. It’s been a rough two rounds of the playoffs for the West Suburban.

Week 12’s Super 25

with record and last week’s ranking

1. Loyola (11-0) 1

8A: vs. No. 11 Lincoln-Way East

2. Joliet Catholic (11-0) 2

4A: vs. Genoa-Kingston

3. Brother Rice (9-2) 3

7A: vs. No. 8 Mount Carmel

4. Maine South (10-1) 4

8A: at No. 7 Neuqua Valley

5. Cary-Grove (11-0) 5

6A: vs. Crystal Lake Central

6. Wheaton North (10-1) 8

7A: at Willowbrook

7. Neuqua Valley (10-1) 9

8A: vs. No. 4 Maine South

8. Mount Carmel (8-3) 10

7A: at No. 3 Brother Rice

9. Fenwick (9-2) 13

5A: at Nazareth

10. St. Rita (9-2) 15

7A: vs. Hononegah

11. Lincoln-Way East (9-2) 16

8A: at No. 1 Loyola

12. Lockport (10-1) 17

8A: at No. 14 Glenbard North

13. Lemont (11-0) 18

6A: vs. East St. Louis

14. Glenbard North (8-3) 20

8A vs. No. 12 Lockport

15. Kankakee (11-0) 21

5A: vs. Marion

16. Crete-Monee (8-3) 22

6A: at Washington, IL

17. Glenbrook South (9-2) NR

8A: vs. No. 18 Marist

18. Marist (8-3) NR

8A: at No. 17 Glenbrook South

19. Jacobs (8-3) NR

7A: at No. 20 Prospect

20. Prospect (9-2) NR

7A: vs. No. 19 Jacobs

21. Willowbrook (8-3) NR

7A: vs. No. 6 Wheaton North

22. Prairie Ridge (9-2) NR

6A: at No. 23 Lake Forest

23. Lake Forest (9-2) NR

6A: vs. No. 22 Prairie Ridge

24. Richmond-Burton (11-0) 24

4A: at Phillips

25. Nazareth (7-4) NR

5A: vs. No. 9 Fenwick

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The crowd watches as Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 in Houston. | AP Photos

Poor crowd-management systems, where event organizers don’t have strong procedures in place to report red flags or warnings, among the reasons deadly surges happen, one expert says.

NEW YORK — The crowd deaths at a Houston music festival added even more names to the long list of people who have been crushed at a major event.

Tragedies like the one Friday night at the Astroworld Music Festival have been happening for a long time. In 1979, 11 people died in a scramble to enter a Cincinnati, Ohio, concert by The Who. At the Hillsborough soccer stadium in England, a human crush in 1989 led to nearly 100 deaths. In 2015, a collision of two crowds at the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia caused more than 2,400 deaths, based on an Associated Press count of media reports and officials’ comments.

Now that more people are heading out of their homes and back into crowds after many months of being cooped up because of the pandemic, the risks are rising again.

Most major events happen without a death, of course, but experts say they see common traits within the tragedies. Here’s a look at how they happen:

How are people dying in these events?

They’re often getting squeezed so hard that they can’t get any oxygen. It’s usually not because they’re getting trampled.

When a crowd surges, the force can be strong enough to bend steel. It can also hit people from two directions: one from the rear of the crowd pushing forward and another from the front of the crowd trying to escape. If some people have fallen, causing a pileup, pressure can even come from above. Caught in the middle are people’s lungs.

AP
A security guard and an unidentified man look at an area with shows and clothes strewn around where several people were killed and others injured as they were caught in a surging crowd entering Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum for a Who concert on Dec. 3, 1979.

What’s it like to be swept in?

A U.K. inquiry into the Hillsborough tragedy found that a form of asphyxiation was listed as an underlying cause in the vast majority of the deaths. Other listed causes included “inhalation of stomach contents.”

The deaths occurred as more than 50,000 fans streamed into the stadium for a soccer match on a warm, sunny day. Some of them packed into a tunnel and were getting pressed so hard into perimeter fencing that their faces got distorted by the mesh, the inquiry found.

“Survivors described being gradually compressed, unable to move, their heads ‘locked between arms and shoulders … faces gasping in panic,'” the report said. “They were aware that people were dying and they were helpless to save themselves.”

What causes such events?

“My research covers over 100 years of disasters, and invariably they all come down to very similar characteristics,” said G. Keith Still, a visiting professor of crowd science at the University of Suffolk in England who has testified as an expert witness in court cases involving crowds.

First is the design of the event, including making sure that the density of the crowd doesn’t exceed guidelines set by the National Fire Protection Association and others. That includes having enough space for everyone and large enough gaps for people to move about.

AP
In this April 15, 1989, file photo police, stewards and supporters tend and care for wounded supporters on the field at Hillsborough Stadium, in Sheffield, England. The 96 Liverpool soccer fans who died in the Hillsborough Stadium disaster were “unlawfully killed” because of errors by the police, a jury eventually concluded.

Some venues will take precautions when they know a particularly high-energy crowd is coming to an event. Still pointed to how some will set up pens around stages in order to break large crowds into smaller groups. That can also allow for pathways for security officers or for emergency exits.

WHAT ARE OTHER CAUSES?

The crowd’s density may be the most important factor in a deadly surge, but it usually needs a catalyst to get everyone rushing in the same direction.

A sudden downpour of rain or hail could send everyone running for cover, as was the case when 93 soccer fans in Nepal were killed while surging toward locked stadium exits in 1988. Or, in an example that Still said is much more common in the United States than other countries, someone yells, “He has a gun!”

Surges don’t always happen because people are running away from something. Sometimes they’re caused by a crowd moving toward something, such as a performer on the stage, before they hit a barrier.

Still also cited poor crowd-management systems, where event organizers don’t have strong procedures in place to report red flags or warnings, among the reasons deadly surges happen.

How has the pandemic affected things?

Steve Allen of Crowd Safety, a U.K.-based consultancy engaged in major events around the world, said it’s always important to monitor the crowd, but especially so now that events are ramping up in size following the the pandemic lockdown.

“As soon as you add people into the mix, there will always be a risk,” he said of crowds.

He recommends that events have trained crowd spotters with noise-cancelling headsets who are in direct communication with someone in close proximity to the performer who’s willing to temporarily stop the event if there’s a life-threatening situation. That could be a crowd surge, structural collapse, fire or something else.

Allen said he has personally stopped about 25 performances by the likes of Oasis, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Eminem.

Why aren’t people calling this a stampede?

Professionals don’t use the words “stampede” or “panic” to describe such scenarios because that can put the blame for the deaths on the people in the crowd. Instead, they more often point at the event’s organizers for failing to provide a safe environment.

“Safety has no profit,” Still said, “so it tends to be the last thing in the budget.”

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Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. | AP Photos

He’s often encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, but none of those previous situations resulted in fatalities.

LOS ANGELES — Travis Scott’s high-energy performances are known for being chaotic and fun-filled shows with concertgoers encouraged to take part in a raucous nature involving mosh pits, crowd surfing and stage diving.

Welcome to Scott’s Astroworld Festival — where concertgoers can become their rebellious selves.

Tragically, the Grammy-nominated rapper’s energetic show this time turned deadly after at least eight people — between the ages of 14 and 27 — were killed during a crowd surge at his music festival in Houston on Friday evening. A sizable group of the 50,000 in attendance pushed toward the stage at NRG Park as a timer clicked down to start the performance before the chaotic scene began to ignite.

People in the crowd reported lots of pushing and shoving during the performances leading up to Scott’s set — which is normal at his shows. He’s often encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, but none of those previous situations resulted in fatalities.

“Travis Scott’s whole aesthetic is about rebellion,” said HipHopDX editor-in-chief Trent Clark, who has attended several of his performances. “The shows have a lot of raging. With the death of punk rock, hip-hop has indeed adopted and patterned the new generation of mosh pits. It’s not uncommon to see a lot of crowding and raging or complete wild behavior at a Travis Scott show.”

Scott is an eight-time Grammy-nominated rapper who is music’s biggest young stars. The Houston-born musician founded his festival in 2018 on the heels of his chart-topping album “Astroworld,” which was led by the infectious song “Sicko Mode.” He also has a 3-year-old daughter with Kylie Jenner, who announced in September that she is pregnant with their second child.

“Travis Scott is legendary in the hip-hop community for his beyond high-energy performances, where he really tries to rile up the crowd,” said Noah Shachtman, editor-in-chief at Rolling Stone. “That makes for some really fun shows and made for a couple of scary incidents.”

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.”

No matter where the investigation ultimately leads, tragedies like the one at the Astroworld Festival have been happening for a long time. In 1979, 11 people died in a scramble to enter a Cincinnati, Ohio, concert by The Who. At a soccer stadium in England, a human crush in 1989 led to nearly 100 deaths. In 2015, a collision of two crowds at the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia caused more than 2,400 deaths, based on an Associated Press count of media reports and officials’ comments.

But with Scott getting into trouble before for the two past shows, Shachtman thinks the rapper will get a “hard second look.”

In 2017, Scott was arrested after he encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, leaving a security guard, a police officer and several others injured during a concert in Arkansas. In a separate incident, he was sentenced to one year of court supervision after pleading guilty to reckless conduct charges stemming from a 2015 incident in Chicago at the Lollapalooza music festival.

At the time, Chicago officials said Scott encouraged fans to vault security barricades. However, no one was injured.

“In terms of energy, he wants the energy he’s giving out on stage to be reciprocated from the audience, almost in defiance,” said Julian Kimble, who wrote a concert review on Scott’s 2018 Astroworld performance for the Washington Post. He called the rapper one of the most electrifying performers he’s seen.

Getty
Flowers s are seen outside of the canceled Astroworld festival at NRG Park on Nov. 6, 2021 in Houston, Texas. According to authorities, eight people died and 17 people were transported to local hospitals after what they describe as a crowd surge.

“I’ve seen him tell people like ‘Don’t listen to security. Forget security. This is for y’all. This is for the fans,'” he continued. “With regards to last night, that’s an example of how things can go wrong. There’s a lot of negligence across the board. I don’t think there’s one bad guy or culprit. It’s a sweeping structural failure with what happened.”

Shachtman said he hopes the tragedy will help tweak Scott’s approach toward his show. He enjoys the rapper’s performances but wants a safer atmosphere where people can still have fun — especially for those eager to find some enjoyment at live shows during the pandemic.

“I would expect that they’ll be increased measures to make sure concertgoers can have a great time, but do so without getting killed,” said Shachtman, who grew up on New York hardcore punk rock music. He said that he’s no stranger to mosh pits, but he adds that “there’s a big difference between a mosh pit, even a giant one, and a life-threating situation.”

Scott is a scheduled headliner for the Day N Vegas Festival next weekend. But any performance involving Scott could come under some scrutiny for crowd control measures and other safety concerns.

“Concert promoters pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for security at both private and public (events),” Shachtman said. “That’s got to be deployed properly. Or else, we’re going to see another one of these incidents.”

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Travis Scott performs at Lollapalooza on Aug. 2, 2018, in Chicago. In 2015 the rapper pleaded guilty to reckless conduct charges following a stampede at his Lolla set. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

A judge ordered Scott to be under court supervision for one year.

NOTE: This story was originally published on Dec. 23, 2015.

Houston rapper Travis Scott, accused of inciting a stampede at Lollapalooza in Chicago this summer, pleaded guilty to reckless conduct charges, according to multiple reports.

Billboard, Rolling Stone, The Chicago Sun-Times and others said Scott (real name Jacques Webster), encouraged fans to climb over barricades during his concert. A 15-year-old girl was trampled.

A judge ordered Scott to be under court supervision for one year.

Scott’s record company representative did not return an email for comment.

According to Rolling Stone, Scott’s set at Lollapalooza lasted only minutes before it ended in disorder. Videos of the incident shows him telling fans to jump the barricades to move closer to the stage, while telling security to move out of the way.

After dozens of fans hopped onstage, organizers cut the music and threatened to end the performance if the stage wasn’t cleared.

“I wanna finish performing,” Scott told fans. “We can start over, everybody just get down.” But it was too late. Scott left and was arrested by Chicago police soon after.

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Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. | AP Photos

He’s often encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, but none of those previous situations resulted in fatalities.

LOS ANGELES — Travis Scott’s high-energy performances are known for being chaotic and fun-filled shows with concertgoers encouraged to take part in a raucous nature involving mosh pits, crowd surfing and stage diving.

Welcome to Scott’s Astroworld Festival — where concertgoers can become their rebellious selves.

Tragically, the Grammy-nominated rapper’s energetic show this time turned deadly after at least eight people — between the ages of 14 and 27 — were killed during a crowd surge at his music festival in Houston on Friday evening. A sizable group of the 50,000 in attendance pushed toward the stage at NRG Park as a timer clicked down to start the performance before the chaotic scene began to ignite.

People in the crowd reported lots of pushing and shoving during the performances leading up to Scott’s set — which is normal at his shows. He’s often encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, but none of those previous situations resulted in fatalities.

“Travis Scott’s whole aesthetic is about rebellion,” said HipHopDX editor-in-chief Trent Clark, who has attended several of his performances. “The shows have a lot of raging. With the death of punk rock, hip-hop has indeed adopted and patterned the new generation of mosh pits. It’s not uncommon to see a lot of crowding and raging or complete wild behavior at a Travis Scott show.”

Scott is an eight-time Grammy-nominated rapper who is music’s biggest young stars. The Houston-born musician founded his festival in 2018 on the heels of his chart-topping album “Astroworld,” which was led by the infectious song “Sicko Mode.” He also has a 3-year-old daughter with Kylie Jenner, who announced in September that she is pregnant with their second child.

“Travis Scott is legendary in the hip-hop community for his beyond high-energy performances, where he really tries to rile up the crowd,” said Noah Shachtman, editor-in-chief at Rolling Stone. “That makes for some really fun shows and made for a couple of scary incidents.”

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.”

No matter where the investigation ultimately leads, tragedies like the one at the Astroworld Festival have been happening for a long time. In 1979, 11 people died in a scramble to enter a Cincinnati, Ohio, concert by The Who. At a soccer stadium in England, a human crush in 1989 led to nearly 100 deaths. In 2015, a collision of two crowds at the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia caused more than 2,400 deaths, based on an Associated Press count of media reports and officials’ comments.

But with Scott getting into trouble before for the two past shows, Shachtman thinks the rapper will get a “hard second look.”

In 2017, Scott was arrested after he encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, leaving a security guard, a police officer and several others injured during a concert in Arkansas. In a separate incident, he was sentenced to one year of court supervision after pleading guilty to reckless conduct charges stemming from a 2015 incident in Chicago at the Lollapalooza music festival.

At the time, Chicago officials said Scott encouraged fans to vault security barricades. However, no one was injured.

“In terms of energy, he wants the energy he’s giving out on stage to be reciprocated from the audience, almost in defiance,” said Julian Kimble, who wrote a concert review on Scott’s 2018 Astroworld performance for the Washington Post. He called the rapper one of the most electrifying performers he’s seen.

Getty
Flowers s are seen outside of the canceled Astroworld festival at NRG Park on Nov. 6, 2021 in Houston, Texas. According to authorities, eight people died and 17 people were transported to local hospitals after what they describe as a crowd surge.

“I’ve seen him tell people like ‘Don’t listen to security. Forget security. This is for y’all. This is for the fans,'” he continued. “With regards to last night, that’s an example of how things can go wrong. There’s a lot of negligence across the board. I don’t think there’s one bad guy or culprit. It’s a sweeping structural failure with what happened.”

Shachtman said he hopes the tragedy will help tweak Scott’s approach toward his show. He enjoys the rapper’s performances but wants a safer atmosphere where people can still have fun — especially for those eager to find some enjoyment at live shows during the pandemic.

“I would expect that they’ll be increased measures to make sure concertgoers can have a great time, but do so without getting killed,” said Shachtman, who grew up on New York hardcore punk rock music. He said that he’s no stranger to mosh pits, but he adds that “there’s a big difference between a mosh pit, even a giant one, and a life-threating situation.”

Scott is a scheduled headliner for the Day N Vegas Festival next weekend. But any performance involving Scott could come under some scrutiny for crowd control measures and other safety concerns.

“Concert promoters pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for security at both private and public (events),” Shachtman said. “That’s got to be deployed properly. Or else, we’re going to see another one of these incidents.”

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Burned-out mom wonders if she’d be better off without him.

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my fiance for six years (engaged for almost two). We have a 4-year-old daughter. During the six years we have been together, he has been employed for only two. He has been trying to start a business for the last two years, but it’s still not working. The stress of work, taking care of our child and trying to figure out how to pay the bills is literally killing me. If it wasn’t for his mother’s help, I would have had a nervous breakdown by now.

I don’t know how to get through to him that he needs to step up and figure out how to contribute to our family without him getting defensive. I am burning out fast and on the fence about leaving him. (I am almost there.) My family thinks I would be happier if I just left, but I’d feel guilty about leaving his mother in a bad situation. Any advice? — DRAINED IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR DRAINED: Think about what is best for your daughter. If you become physically or emotionally sick from stress and cannot work, how will your child be provided for? Suggest your fiance take a part-time job to bring in money, but still allow time for him to develop his business. If he refuses, take your daughter and leave until he gets back on his feet financially.

DEAR ABBY: Our daughter, who is 12, has this idea that when she finishes school, she wants to be a professional gamer. She believes she will make a ton of money at it. I never tell her she can’t do something because I want her to know how capable she is. I just would like her to aspire to help mankind in a more worthwhile way.

She is, and always has been, very popular among her peers. She has a likable personality and a kind heart. What can I say to my daughter to help her understand there are so many other things she can do with her life? I have been saving money for her to use as she chooses when she becomes of legal age. I don’t want to give it to her unless she develops higher aspirations for herself. What is your best advice? — MOTIVATING MAMA IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR MAMA: Your daughter is 12! (If it is of any comfort to you, when I was her age my “dream” was to be 5’9″ and sing the blues standing under a blue spotlight wearing a black velvet dress. I’m 5’2″, and my best singing is done in the shower.) I can guarantee that your daughter’s aspirations will expand more than once before she’s of legal age. In the meantime, “suggest” to her that there are many rewarding ways to succeed in this world, among them the satisfaction one gets from helping one’s fellow man (or woman). And encourage her to volunteer and branch out into other areas to expand her possibilities and opportunities.

DEAR ABBY: If you hurt someone’s feelings unintentionally, is it necessary to apologize? — DID NOT MEAN TO

DEAR “D.N.M.T”: Of course it is. It’s no different than stepping on someone’s foot while being seated in a movie theater.

For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

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Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ws unharmed. | Khalid Mohammed / AP

The attack sharply ramped up tensions sparked by the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month’s parliamentary election results.

BAGHDAD — Troops were deployed around Baghdad Sunday after a failed assassination attempt using armed drones to target the residence of Iraq’s prime minister.

The attack sharply ramped up tensions sparked by the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month’s parliamentary election results.

Seven of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s security guards were wounded in the attack by at least two armed drones in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone area, according to two Iraqi officials speakingon the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to give official statements.

Al-Kadhimi, who was unharmed, later appeared on Iraqi television, seated behind a desk in a white shirt, looking calm and composed. His left hand appeared to be wrapped in a bandage. An aide confirmed he suffered a cut.

“Cowardly rocket and drone attacks don’t build homelands and don’t build a future,” al-Kadhimi said.

Later Sunday, he met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and headed a government security meeting.

Residents of Baghdad heard the sound of an explosion followed by heavy gunfire from the direction of the Green Zone, which houses foreign embassies and government offices. Handout photos showed the damage in al-Kadhimi’s residence, including smashed windows and doors blown off their hinges.

No one claimed credit for the attack, but suspicion fell on Iran-backed militias who had been publicly attacking al-Kadhimi and issuing threats.

Hadi Mizban / AP
Iraqi security forces close the heavily fortified Green Zone on Sunday as they tightened security measures hours after an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Baghdad.

It came amid a stand-off between security forces and the pro-Iran Shiite militias whose supporters have been camped outside the Green Zone for nearly a month after they rejected the results of Iraq’s parliamentary elections, in which they lost around two-thirds of their seats.

“The assassination attempt is a dramatic escalation, crossing a line in unprecedented fashion that may have violent reverberations,” Ranj Alaaldin, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, said in a post on Twitter.

On Friday, demonstrators tried to enter the Green Zone. Security forces used tear gas and live ammunition. There was an exchange of fire in which one protester affiliated with the militias was killed. Dozens of security forces were injured.

Al-Khadimi ordered an investigation to determine what sparked the clashes and who violated orders not to open fire.Some of the leaders of the most powerful militia factions loyal to Iran openly blamed al-Kadhimi for Friday’s clashes and the protester’s death.

“The blood of martyrs is to hold you accountable,” said Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, addressing al-Kadhimi at a funeral held for the protester Saturday. “The protesters only had one demand against fraud in elections. Responding like this means you are the first responsible for this fraud.”

The funeral was attended by leaders of the mostly Shiite Iran-backed factions who together are known as the Popular Mobilization Forces — Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic.

Al-Khazali, in a written statement Sunday, suggested the militias were being framed, calling for an investigation and for the punishment of the perpetrators.

Other PMF leaders also condemned the attack, blaming it on “third parties” trying to incite strife.

Influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who won the largest number of parliament seats in the Oct. 10 elections, denounced the “terrorist attack” that seeks to return Iraq to the lawlessness and chaos of the past. While al-Sadr maintains good relations with Iran, he publicly opposes external interference in Iraq’s affairs.

Al-Kadhimi, 54, was Iraq’s former intelligence chief before becoming prime minister in May last year. He is considered by the militias to be close to the United States and has tried to balance between Iraq’s alliances with the United States and Iran. Prior to the elections, he hosted several rounds of talks between regional foes Iran and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad in a bid to ease regional tensions.

Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Sunday condemned the assassination attempt on al-Khadimi and indirectly blamed the United States. He said to be aware of “the conspiracies that target the security and progress of Iraq,” without elaborating. Khatibzadeh said such incidents “are in the interests of those parties that have invaded the stability, security, independence and territorial integrity of Iraq over the past 18 years.”

The United States denounced the attack. “This apparent act of terrorism, which we strongly condemn, was directed at the heart of the Iraqi state,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi also condemned the assassination attempt. Writing on Facebook, he called on all sides in Iraq to “calm down, renounce violence and join forces to preserve the country’s stability.”

Saudi Arabia issued a statement of support for stability in Iraq and said it strongly condemned the “cowardly terrorist attack that targeted Iraq’s prime minister.”

The United States, the U.N. Security Council and others have praised the Oct. 10 election, which was mostly violence-free and without major technical glitches.

But, following the vote, militia supporters pitched tents near the Green Zone, rejecting the election results and threatening violence unless their demands for a recount were met.

The unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud have cast a shadow over the vote. The standoff with the militia supporters has also increased tensions among rival Shiite factions that could spill into violence and threaten Iraq’s newfound relative stability.

The election was held months ahead of schedule in response to mass protests in late 2019, which saw tens of thousands in Baghdad and predominantly Shiite southern provinces rally against endemic corruption, poor services and unemployment. They also protested against the heavy-handed interference of neighboring Iran in Iraq’s affairs through Iran-backed militias.

The militias lost some popularity since the 2018 vote, when they made big election gains. Many hold them responsible for suppressing the 2019 protests and for challenging the state’s authority.

Contributing: Zeina Karam, Sarah El Deeb, Jon Gambrell, Aya Batrawy, Samy Magdy

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At least seven people were killed and 30 others wounded by gunfire in Chicago since Friday evening. | Sun-Times file

Two of the fatal shootings occurred about 10 minutes apart in University Village and Bronzeville.

At least seven people were killed and a 4-year-old among 30 others wounded in citywide shootings since 5 p.m. Friday.

One person was killed and another wounded Sunday morning in University Village on the Near West Side. A man, 21, was standing outside about 12:10 a.m. in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street when someone fired shots from a passing dark-colored sedan, striking him in the back, Chicago police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name hasn’t been released yet. A 38-year-old woman sitting nearby was struck in the jaw and was taken to the same hospital, where she was in good condition, police said.
About 10 minutes later, a man was killed and a woman wounded Sunday morning in a Bronzeville establishment on the South Side. The two were in the 4600 block of South King Drive about 12:20 a.m. when gunfire erupted after an argument between the man and a group of males, police said. The argument started after someone stepped on the woman’s shoes, according to preliminary information. The 25-year-old man was shot in the neck, arm and torso and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he died to his injuries, police said. His name hasn’t been released yet. The woman, 27, was shot in the chin and was taken to the same hospital, where she was in fair condition, police said.
A 77-year-old concealed-carry license holder fatally shot a would-be robber Saturday afternoon in Burnside on the South Side. About 12:20 p.m., the man was in an open garage in the 500 block of East 89th Street when a vehicle pulled up in the alley and an armed male exited and demanded his belongings, police said. The man then shot at the would-be robber, fatally striking him in the head and chest, police said. The man was not injured and did have a valid concealed-carry license, according to police.
Another man was fatally shot Friday night while driving in the West Englewood neighborhood. About 6 p.m., the 29-year-old was driving in the 2100 block of West 71st Street when two people exited the vehicle behind him and began shooting, police said. A shot went through the rear window of his vehicle, striking the man in the back of the head, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. He was identified as Reginald Benson by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Another man was fatally shot a few hours later after a fight over a car blocking his garage in Belmont Central on the Northwest Side. About 9:50 p.m., the 36-year-old and another man were arguing over the suspect’s vehicle blocking his garage in the 2600 block of North Mobile Avenue, police said. The gunman shoved the man and then shot him in the back before driving away, police said. He was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where he died to his injuries, police said. He was identified as Karl Washington by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
A couple of hours later, a sixth man was shot and killed in South Austin on the West Side. The 21-year-old was outside in the 5200 block of West Adams Street about 11:50 p.m. when he was shot multiple times in the body, police said. He was taken to Stroger, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
A seventh man was found fatally shot Saturday morning in Little Village on the West Side. The 31-year-old was found unresponsive with gunshot wounds to his head and body about 3:30 a.m. in the 2600 block of South Keeler Avenue, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died, police said. His name hasn’t been released yet.
In nonfatal attacks, a 4-year-old boy was wounded Friday evening in a shooting in the South Chicago neighborhood. The shooting happened about 5:45 p.m. in the 8300 block of South Saginaw Avenue, police said. The boy suffered gunshot wounds to both thighs and his hand, police said. He was taken to South Shore Hospital in good condition, police said.
Two people, including a 16-year-old boy, were shot in a park Saturday morning in East Garfield Park. Just before noon, the pair were at Garfield Park near the 3400 block of West Madison Street when someone opened fire, police said. The teen boy was shot in the head and foot and was transported to Stroger in critical condition, police said. A man, 25, was struck in the leg and was taken to the same hospital, where he was stabilized.
A 17-year-old was shot in front of a store Friday night in Chatham on the South Side. The teen was standing about 11:45 p.m. in the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when someone dressed in all black approached and opened fire, striking him in the leg and back, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago, where his condition was stabilized, police said.
One person was shot and another was stabbed Sunday morning in Back of the Yards on the South Side. Two men were on the sidewalk in the 4700 block of South Laflin Street about 12:50 a.m. when one was shot and the other was stabbed, police said. A 51-year-old was shot in the leg and a 44-year-old man was stabbed in the abdomen, police said. Both were taken to the University of Chicago, where they were in good condition, police said.
A person was in custody after two people were found shot Sunday morning in Bronzeville on the South Side. A 22-year-old man and 33-year-old woman were discovered shot about 1:50 a.m. in the 500 block of East 47th Street, police said. One of them was found inside a storefront where there was a gathering, while the other was found outside, police said. The man was shot in the legs, and was taken to the University of Chicago, while the woman self-transported to the same hospital with a gunshot wound to her leg, police said. Both were in fair condition, officials said.

At least 21 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago since Friday evening.

Last weekend, at least 28 people were hit by gunfire and six died.

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