At least seven people were killed as tornadoes and storms ripped through the South and the Midwest this week.
Police Chief Shane Woody said it was “absolute chaos” describing the scene of a roof collapsing during a sold-out show at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois.
“When officers are first on the scene, when the fire department and first responders get here, they do the best they can to control the chaos as much as possible. But ultimately, we go in, and ultimately try and find people, and save as many people as we possibly can – and bring them to safety as best as we can,” Chief Woody said.
From The Blaze:
The packed metal concert had reportedly been underway for less than an hour when the storm struck the century-old venue, killing at least one person and injuring dozens more. Severe storms and tornadoes also struck other states Friday, including Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Mississippi, the New York Times reported. "We will spare no resource to assist with response and recovery efforts for Arkansans impacted," Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders (R) tweeted Friday night. The The Natural State governor signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency after severe weather gutted part of Little Rock and other towns. The city of Wynne in northeastern Arkansas was "cut in half by damage from east to west," Wynne Mayor Jennifer Hobbs told CNN. At least two people died in the town with a population of about 8,274.
