What began as a routine post-concert commute quickly turned chaotic after Beyoncé's final "Cowboy Carter" show at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this week.
A panic in the tightly packed crowd spread when a fight broke out at MARTA's Vine City station, leading to a stampede that injured multiple concertgoers. When concertgoers emerged, confusion reigned after a woman's scream about a bug.
"A woman was scared of an insect and screamed and ran away from it," a MARTA spokesperson said. "Others panicked not knowing what was happening."
Panicked, people pushed toward the escalator, which suddenly accelerated and then abruptly stopped. This caused several riders to fall. One person suffered a broken ankle; seven others were hospitalized with minor injuries. Another person refused treatment at the scene.
City Politician Takes Aim at MARTA Over Escalator Outage
Atlanta City Councilmember Marci Overstreet called for answers, demanding a thorough investigation into MARTA's infrastructure and emergency protocols.
"This incident was a near-catastrophe," said Overstreet, who serves as vice chair of the council's Transportation Committee. "Dozens could have been seriously hurt – or worse."
The Vine City escalator at issue could be one of several included in a $40 million system-wide overhaul MARTA began a decade ago, Overstreet said. She is calling for a complete accounting of the maintenance records of the escalator and is asking MARTA to instead explain whether mechanical issues, overcrowding or sensor error is what caused the problem.
She is also pressing for a broader review of transit safety before several large events are held in Atlanta in the coming years, starting with the FIFA World Cup and the Super Bowl. "We must work to ensure we develop stronger transit safety protocols," added Overstreet.
MARTA has begun an investigation, but as of Monday evening, had not released any information regarding the escalator's inspection history.
Break-In Hits Beyoncé's Team Before Atlanta Show
The train station panic was not the only issue during Beyoncé's Atlanta stop.
Earlier in the week, her choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue had a rented SUV they were sitting in broken into while parked in the vicinity of Krog Street Market. Adding to the misfortune, upon returning to the vehicle they found two suitcases were missing and a broken window.
"Mr. Grant advised he was also carrying some personal sensitive information for the musician Beyoncé," according to the police report.
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