The event included headline acts Wizkid and French Montana
BBC Radio 1Xtra shut down its live event in Birmingham after the rapper Krept suffered a slash wound during a backstage assault.
The sold-out event, which was scheduled to include performances from UK rappers Aitch, Lady Leshurr and Ms Banks alongside high-profile overseas acts French Montana and Wizkid, took place at the Arena Birmingham.
The show was abandoned at 10pm on Saturday ahead of the night’s main headline acts and livestreams – broadcast across both 1Xtra and Radio 1- were both cut off.
Krept, half of the duo Krept and Konan, confirmed on Saturday he had been injured with a tweet saying: “Can’t keep a good man down.”
He was treated onsite by medical staff and did not require hospital treatment, according to a Twitter post from the West Midlands Police.
‘Isolated serious incident’
An hour after the assault a tweet from the Radio 1 Press Office confirmed that the event had been stopped following an “isolated serious incident”, and that the organisation was co-operating with the police to establish what had happened.
“Been tuned in since yesterday & enjoying the music so much. Sad that this has happened,” posted 2006 X Factor winner Leona Lewis, as speculation circulated via Twitter as to the identity of the victim of the assault.
The corporation said that it was sorry to call the event off but safety was a priority.
“We are upset and saddened that something like this should happen to a guest at one of our events and we remain in close contact and continue to offer our full support,” a statement from the company confirmed.
“Security at Arena Birmingham alerted police to an assault which took place in the backstage area at 10pm on Saturday,” West Midlands Police posted to Twitter two hours after the incident occurred.
Event attendees are invited to contact the West Midlands Police via either its Live Chat function on its website, or by calling 101. To remain anonymous, callers are asked to contact Crimestoppers.
