Chicago nightclub stampede
The Chicago nightclub stampede refers to a tragic incident that occurred on February 17, 2003, at the E2 nightclub, located above the Epitome restaurant in Chicago. The nightclub was a popular venue in the local African American community, frequented by celebrities. During a party promoted by Envy Entertainment, a confrontation prompted a security guard to use pepper spray, leading to widespread panic among patrons who feared they were exposed to toxic gas. The ensuing chaos resulted in a stampede as individuals rushed to the single staircase for evacuation.
In the crush of people, many were trampled or asphyxiated, with reports indicating that some victims were literally squeezed to death. Emergency responders faced significant challenges in reaching and liberating those trapped beneath the crowd. Following the incident, investigations revealed that all fatalities were due to crushing injuries. The aftermath involved a complex legal landscape, with debates about the nightclub's licensing, city permits, and the roles of city officials. Prominent voices within the community supported the club owners, while civil damages were ultimately settled. This incident highlights critical issues of crowd management and safety in nightlife venues, as well as the broader implications for community events.
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Subject Terms
Chicago nightclub stampede
Date: February 17, 2003
The Event: Twelve women and nine men, ages twenty-one to forty-three, were killed and more than fifty other persons were injured when they were trampled or crushed as a panicked crowd attempted to flee Chicago’s E2 nightclub through a single exit after pepper spray was used inside the club to break up a fight.
Significance: Situations in which surging crowds of people cause injuries and deaths are of great concern to law-enforcement officials and public safety authorities. When such events occur, coroners and medical examiners must perform autopsies to determine the specific causes of any deaths.
The E2 nightclub occupied the second floor of a building above the Epitome restaurant on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. E2 was frequented by celebrity figures and was considered by many in the local African American community to be the place to be seen. On the night of Monday, February 17, 2003, a party promoted by Envy Entertainment was in progress in the nightclub. The promoter had hired ten security guards to maintain order and assist patrons. When one of the security guards used pepper spray to attempt to stop a fight among some patrons, some people in the crowd began choking on the chemicals and then some began to shout, “Poison gas!” It was later reported also that someone said, “I bet it’s Bin Laden.”
The panicked crowd scrambled to get to the club’s only open staircase leading outside. In the stampede, some smaller people were pushed and trampled by others as they tried to get to the door. The crowd got stuck on the restricted stairway, but people continued to pile on top of those already trapped. Some were literally squeezed to death or asphyxiated by crushing; many sustained broken bones. By the time police and fire officers arrived, even though security guards had been trying to remove fallen victims from below, the crush was so tight that significant exertion was required to begin to disentangle individuals from the pile of patrons.
Following the incident, the Cook County medical examiner’s office performed routine after-death activities. The office certified the causes of death and held bodies at the morgue, where, even after several days, families and friends came looking for loved ones. Much of the investigation into the incident itself was assigned to the Chicago Fire Department. A deputy medical examiner eventually testified at a hearing that “all E2 victims were crushed.”
The deaths triggered a series of investigations and disputes involving licensing of the club and permits issued by the city of Chicago. Prominent African Americans spoke out in support of the club owners, and the owners of the club and their attorneys maneuvered to avoid criminal charges by attempting to discredit Chicago city officials. Significant civil damages were eventually paid.
Bibliography
Horan, Deborah, and Sean Hamill. “It Was People on Top of People.” Chicago Tribune, February 18, 2003.
Sadovi, Carlos. “All E2 Victims Were Crushed.” Chicago Tribune, January 26, 2007.
“Stampede at Chicago Nightclub Leaves Twenty-one Dead.” USA Today, February 19, 2003.