SXSW car crash changes the tone
A drunken driver fleeing a traffic stop crashed through festival barricades and killed two people. On-site images flooded social media, and organizers used Twitter to reach out to witnesses.
The South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, has a reputation for being a nine-day haven for tech-savvy, young professionals. It also has a reputation for intense partying.
After a car crashed through a barricade and killed two people at the festival in the wee hours of Thursday morning, the latter may be starting to overshadow the former.
An unnamed driver who was trying to avoid a DWI traffic stop turned onto Red River Street, which was closed off for the festival, and drove for more than two blocks, according to the Austin American-Statesman. In addition to the two people who were killed, 23 were injured. Many of the injured had been in line for a concert at Mohawk, a local night club.
The suspect will be charged with two counts of capital murder and 23 counts of aggravated assault. Police haven’t confirmed whether he was attending the festival.
As one might expect, the incident was well documented on social media. Mashable has a roundup of some of the photos and videos that Twitter users shared.
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