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The Itaewon Halloween Tragedy - 159 Dead & How The Police Tried To Cover It Up

Rotten Mango・2 minutes read

A tragic Halloween crowd surge in Itamon led to 159 deaths, with survivors recounting harrowing experiences in a chaotic and overcrowded alleyway. The incident sparked outrage towards authorities who failed to respond to warnings, leading to demands for accountability and justice from grieving families and survivors.

Insights

A man in Itamon left food in an alley for deceased children after a tragic event where 159 people died, showing deep compassion and respect for the victims.
The crowd surge in Itamon during Halloween night resulted in nearly 200 deaths, with warnings of danger going unheeded by authorities, highlighting a failure in disaster prevention and response.
The aftermath of the tragedy in Itamon revealed a lack of accountability from the government and police, prompting demands for sincere apologies, thorough investigations, and preventative measures from the grieving parents and the public.

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Recent questions

What caused the tragedy in Itamon?
Overcrowding and lack of police response.
Who were the victims in the Itamon tragedy?
Majority were Korean women and foreign citizens.
How did the government respond to the Itamon incident?
Initially hesitated in providing assistance.
What were the consequences of the Itamon tragedy?
Arrests for negligence and destruction of evidence.
How did the community respond to the Itamon incident?
Demanded justice and accountability.

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Summary

00:00

Tragedy Strikes Itamon on Halloween Night

On October 30th, a man in Itamon placed a pink cloth in an alley, lit candles, and sobbed in front of food, surrounded by remnants of a tragedy where 159 people died the night before.
Police approached the man in the closed-off alley, but he insisted on leaving the food for the deceased children to have one last meal.
The man, a business owner, had tried to save many people but witnessed many deaths, leading him to leave food for the deceased.
A 16-year-old survivor of the tragedy in Itamon took his life in a motel bathroom, unable to bear the burden of being the only survivor in his friend group.
Parents of the victims had taken their children's cries for help seriously, with the 16-year-old feeling isolated and alone after the tragedy.
The Halloween crowd surge in Itamon resulted in 159 deaths and nearly 200 injuries, with responsible adults attending the event, unaware of the impending danger.
Families were preparing for Halloween celebrations in Itamon, with businesses bustling and partygoers using the subway for transportation to the city.
The alleyway connecting the subway station to the main party street in Itamon was narrow, uneven, and crowded, leading to accidents and warnings before the tragedy.
The first 911 call reporting the dangerous conditions in the alleyway near the Hamilton hotel was made hours before the incident, but no police response was received.
The tragedy in Itamon on Halloween night resulted in nearly 200 deaths, with initial warnings of danger unheeded by authorities.

14:36

Halloween Alley Tragedy: City's Economic Impact

Halloween weekend is crucial for the city's economy, with police involvement in event planning.
At 7 PM, a large crowd gets stuck in an alleyway, with factors like excitement and alcohol contributing.
A woman in the crowd takes charge, directing people like a traffic officer to ease the congestion.
Despite efforts, the crowd inches forward slowly but manages to pass through the alleyway.
Social media posts shift from excitement to concern as the night progresses, with reports of danger.
Multiple calls to the police indicate escalating danger, with one survivor describing the alleyway as chaotic.
A streamer reports intense crowding and police indifference to the growing danger.
A tragic incident occurs after numerous warnings to the police, with a streamer witnessing a girl's death.
People trapped in the alleyway struggle to breathe due to overcrowding, with some losing consciousness.
The situation escalates into a deadly crowd surge, not a stampede, resembling suffocation and quicksand.

27:48

Tragic Crowd Surge at Itaewon Halloween

The crowd surge caused people's feet to be lifted off the ground, leading to many abandoned shoes due to the intense pressure.
Ragu, a 21-year-old Malaysian construction worker, got caught in the crowd surge and called his friend Kim for help.
Ragu struggled to breathe and tried to aid a woman in need of medical attention before the call abruptly ended, marking the last contact with him.
The fire department received reports of 10 people being crushed to the ground, with difficulties in breathing and the dispatch of ambulances.
Police officers arrived at the scene, facing challenges in crowd control, with some trying to redirect people away from the chaos.
A photographer from China found himself in the crowd surge, helping stabilize others, including a family with a young child, amidst the chaos.
Actor EG Han assisted a lost little girl in the crowd, ultimately sacrificing his life to save her, leaving behind a promising acting career.
Authorities and medical teams were dispatched to the scene late, with the Halloween event at Itaewon being called off due to the disaster.
Speculations arose about a group causing the crowd surge, while some partygoers remained unaware or continued partying despite the tragedy.
After the chaos subsided, efforts focused on providing medical aid to numerous motionless individuals requiring urgent CPR, including accounts of individuals attempting to help despite lacking expertise.

43:02

Tragic nightclub disaster leaves 159 dead

People stopped breathing, and despite efforts, there was no success in resuscitating them, leading to a chaotic scene with sirens, screams, and cries.
A Pakistani nurse visiting Korea for Halloween ended up performing CPR on 15 to 30 people, highlighting the physically taxing nature of CPR.
A college couple, amidst the chaos, tried to protect each other, with the man performing CPR on his girlfriend for over an hour without success.
Paramedics unbuttoned victims' shirts for CPR, while onlookers inappropriately filmed the victims, causing distress and robbing them of dignity.
Victims, mostly women, were left on the road for over an hour due to the overwhelming number of casualties, with injuries ranging from broken bones to life-changing conditions.
Survivors shared harrowing experiences of suffocation, physical injuries, and emotional trauma, with one survivor diagnosed with necrosis of the leg.
The tragedy resulted in 159 deaths, including 26 foreign citizens, with the majority being Korean women, and 196 physically injured individuals.
Parents faced the devastating reality of losing their children in the tragedy, with heart-wrenching accounts of identifying their deceased children and the guilt they carry.
Belongings of the deceased, totaling over a ton in weight, were left behind, with families called to identify and collect items in a heartbreaking scene.
Funeral homes were overwhelmed with the bodies of young victims, highlighting the tragic loss of lives and the impact on families and loved ones.

58:25

National Tragedy Unites South Korea in Grief

James's friends gathered at the funeral home to mourn his passing in silence.
Altars were set up across South Korea for paying respects to the victims, with many bringing flowers and Soju bottles.
Trauma from the 2014 ferry incident, where many young students died, united the nation in grief.
Survivors recounted being pushed by a group of individuals during the crowd surge at Itaewon.
The pushers were described as intentionally causing chaos and pushing people aggressively.
Netizens identified a man with a rabbit headband as a leader of the pushers, sparking online outrage.
False rumors circulated blaming a popular live streamer and a celebrity for causing the crowd surge.
Businesses in Itaewon faced backlash for allegedly not helping during the tragedy, leading to financial struggles.
Political blame emerged, with right-wing individuals blaming left-wing protests for diverting police resources.
Lingering trauma from past government failures, like the 2014 ferry sinking, fueled anger towards the government's handling of safety measures during the Itaewon incident.

01:12:56

Tragedy in Itawan: Government Accountability Demanded

The night in Itawan became overcrowded, with even subway stations jam-packed as people swarmed to the area.
Korean Premier Minister Han Daksu faced criticism for his attitude during an international press conference about the incident.
The Premier Minister's comments about a 16-year-old victim's mental health treatment and commitment sparked outrage.
Initially, the government hesitated to list the 16-year-old victim as part of the Itawan tragedy, affecting assistance for mental health and funeral costs.
Parents of victims expressed dissatisfaction with the government's lukewarm responses and lack of accountability.
The parents demanded a sincere government apology, an honest investigation, and preventative measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
The police chief's actions on the night of the tragedy, including delays and mismanagement, were heavily criticized.
The police chief's false claims about requesting additional security forces and his delayed response to the escalating situation were exposed.
The police chief's arrest, along with other officers, for negligence and destruction of evidence, highlighted the accountability sought by the public.
Questions arose about the failure to block the subway station at Itawan, with conflicting accounts between the police and transportation departments regarding requests for crowd control measures.

01:27:58

Tragedy Unveils Injustice and Heroism

The firefighters supported their Chief, feeling he was unfairly blamed for a tragedy that was primarily the responsibility of the police. They reviewed body cam footage to improve their response, highlighting the police chief's nonchalant attitude during the incident.
Despite public focus on other aspects, the personal stories of those impacted by the tragedy emphasized the civilians' efforts to save each other. The families of the victims seek justice, with a poignant plea for their children's justice on their way to heaven.

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