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Phoenix police used PepperBall projectiles during a crowd control response Tuesday night after a sold-out concert at The Van Buren ended abruptly and tensions escalated outside the downtown venue.
Approximately 1,500 fans had gathered for a performance by rapper Nine Vicious. The show was interrupted by repeated sound problems. The artist grew visibly frustrated on stage, and the show ended abruptly after only a handful of songs. At that point, venue staff directed attendees to leave.
Some concertgoers refused to exit, and several dozen people reportedly moved toward a rear security gate near the performer’s tour bus. Property was damaged as the situation became increasingly difficult to control.
Phoenix police responded at approximately 9 p.m. As officers worked to clear the area and move the crowd away from the restricted portion of the venue, they deployed PepperBall projectiles along with pepper spray.
Police reported no injuries and no arrests following the incident.
Crowd control situations can change quickly, particularly when officers are dealing with a large group rather than a single subject. Creating distance can give officers more options to manage movement and reduce the need for close-contact confrontations.
In Phoenix, officers were able to disperse the crowd and bring the incident to a close without reported injuries or arrests.
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