Sac State updates safety plans for next concert after Lil Yachty fracas

A leading expert in crowd safety still had questions after reading Sacramento State’s updated safety plans for upcoming post-football game entertainment.

Dean Bill Hèbert Jr. and the campus’ chief of police Chet Madison sent an email and posted to the school’s Instagram account Wednesday about safety measures they are taking after a Lil Yachty concert following Saturday’s homecoming football game went awry. This included people rushing the field, fights breaking out and some of the crowd panicking.

With rap artist Quavo, who has 23 million Instagram followers, set to perform following Friday’s game and another rapper, Blxst, scheduled to perform Nov. 15, the school sent out a roughly 200-word email. It noted that some “measures have been implemented to address Hornet Stadium safety concerns” but offered limited details.

This left Paul Wertheimer, principal and founder of Los Angeles-based Crowd Management Strategies, less than impressed after he was forwarded the email the school sent out. “They may have a great plan, okay, but I don’t know what that plan is,” Wertheimer said. “This is just a bunch of concepts.”

The email from Sac State officials stated that the school had increased “increased staffing and security personnel and implemented additional crowd control measures.” Attendees are now required to stay in the stands. Those who don’t risk arrest, with students also facing potential code of conduct violations and disciplinary action

“By respecting ourselves, one another, and the experience we’re building, our Hornet community will have a safe, fantastic time this Friday night,” the email states.

This left a number of questions unanswered. Hebert and Madison didn’t respond to requests for comment. University spokesperson Lanaya Lewis declined further comment beyond to say questions could be sent to her in writing. Lewis didn’t answer questions that were sent to her shortly thereafter, including:

• Which new crowd control measures will be in place, such as training or infrastructure?

• Are security personnel who’ve been hired trained in crowd management?

• Is this week’s concert limited to Sac State students?

Wertheimer questioned how many security personnel would be on-hand. He questioned what would actually be done substantively to put the concepts the university was touting into play. And he noted how much had gone wrong with the Lil Yachty concert.

“The university didn’t do its due diligence on this artist or on the crowd or on the crowd outside of the university that they invited to the event and they didn’t prepare for it,” Wertheimer said.

He also gave some credit to university officials, though, after reading the message that was sent out Wednesday. “They’re not going to do the same thing over again, apparently,” Wertheimer said. “That’s good.”

Sac State students react

The university’s plans drew a mix of reactions from students, with some skeptical of what the plans could accomplish.

“It’s good that they’re trying — emphasis on trying — but I don’t know if that’ll change anything or stop anything,” said Xavier Smith, a fifth-year psychology major who questioned the wisdom of holding concerts on-campus amidst some budget constraints for the university.

Cameron Rower, a fourth-year exercise science major, didn’t attend the Lil Yachty concert but saw videos online. He had some optimism after he reviewed the email sent by university officials. “It sounds like they’re addressing the main concerns from what happened last week, but ultimately what matters is what actually happens,” Rower said.

Others appeared less concerned, such as Melanie Thurmond, a fourth-year political science major who questioned news coverage of the Lil Yachty concert. She noted that reporting can be biased.

“I probably weighed the reporting a certain way because of the fact that I know these are younger folks that are there and they’re maybe having a good time, which is perceived as, I guess you could say ruckus and causing disturbances,” Thurmond said.

Mari Medina, a third-year health science major, said what happened at last Saturday’s concert didn’t make her hesitant to go to future concerts on campus. “I think those kinds of things happen in any concerts or any events where there’s… so many people crowded,” Medina said. “So I don’t think it’ll make me not want to go.”

Asked if he was confident there would be a safe concert this week, Rower said he wasn’t sure.

“I never know what people in Sacramento are going to do, because people in Sacramento are crazy sometimes,” Rower said.

This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Sac State updates safety plans for next concert after Lil Yachty fracas."