Video shows fight at rap show
Violent incident Friday at the Capital Center posted on Facebook
A video posted Friday night to Facebook shows the violent end to a rap concert at Albany Capital Center.
The violence broke out around 9:30 p.m., about two-and-a-half hours after the “One Big Party” concert started at the convention center on Eagle Street near the state Capitol.
In the video, around a dozen people can be seen fighting. At least two people are beaten and assaulted by multiple people as they lay on the ground. One of them is repeatedly stomped — kicked in the head and upper body.
Albany police said a 19-yearold man was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital with a stab wound to his neck. His injury was not life-threatening. Another teen was hit in the head with a chair, which can be seen on the video.
The video does not show what started the fight that appeared to be on the second floor near the escalator.
The general manager for the Capital Center, Doug Mcclaine, directed questions regarding the stabbing to Albany police.
Mcclaine would not say what security changes, if any, the center would make to prevent future incidents.
On Sunday, Albany police spokesman Steve Smith said police were still investigating the stabbing and no arrests had been made.
In the Facebook video, a few men with yellow jackets that say “security” on the back can be seen trying to subdue the fighters.
Among the rap and hiphop artists scheduled to perform Friday at the Capital Center were Chicago rapper G. Herbo, Kushie Sunoco, and YK Rich as well as local artists Suave the Don and Hollyhood Shumpo.
Police cleared the building after being called to the fight, ending the concert early.
SMG manages the Capital Center on half of the Albany Convention Center Authority, a quasi-public state authority.
The Capital Center, a state-funded $78.5 million facility, was opened in March 2017 as a state convention center. But many of the activities it now hosts are a mix of sporting events, concerts and vendor fairs.
The Capital Center is often marketed as a compliment to the neighboring Times Union Center, which is also run by SMG. While metal detectors are often used at Times Union Center, it’s unknown if the Capital Center uses such scanning devices.
Friday’s incident, while not as serious, is reminiscent of a melee that broke out at Washington Avenue Armory in 2015 as the nationally-known rap group Migos performed. A video of that incident was posted at the time on TMZ’S website.
During that fight, six people were stabbed, and the Armory faced serious repercussions from the state Liquor Authority and the city of Albany. The business entity that runs the Armory sued Migos last year, alleging in court papers that the group was egging on the fight from the stage.