Crowd Outside Hot 97 Summer Jam Tear Gassed By State Police

Update, 6/9/2015, 1:45 PM: According to The Associated Press, 61 people were arrested at this year's Summer Jam, and 10 New Jersey State Troopers were injured. For frame of reference, 51 people were arrested at the 2014 Summer Jam when there was no showdown with the police.

The New Jersey chapter of the ACLU told AP they were pushing for an investigation by the state Attorney General's office to determine if the "event was properly managed and policed, how many injuries and arrests took place, and whether the tactics and force deployed by state troopers and potentially other law enforcement personnel were appropriate." Meanwhile, Hot 97's Ebro emphasized the unique aspects of the concert that must be preserved. "There's not another concert where this many hip-hop and R&B individuals are on the same stage at one night. Part of the reason it may not exist is because people are afraid of this type of behavior from young people. This is the music that we play and ... we have to take the good with the bad some times."

Update, 6/8/2015, 11:30 AM: The New Jersey State Police issued a statement last night after a confrontation between fans and police erupted in violence at Hot 97's SummerJam. The statement notes that the police were called in to "maintain order" after "crowds attempt[ed] to illegally enter the sold-out Summer Jam concert." The police did not comment on the methods they used to disperse the crowd—which, according to the Associated Press, included loud noise and tear gas. (The Asbury Park Press reports that the police used pepper-spray on one person.) The police department did not offer any information about the number of arrests or potential injuries at the event.

Hot 97 also issued an official statement, which you can read below. They blamed "a small number of people" for creating "an unsafe environment."

"Due to strong demand for tickets for Summer Jam 2015, the show sold out early this evening.

When fans realized tickets were not available at the box office, a small number of people created an unsafe environment, and for the safety of all guests, the New Jersey State Police were on scene to disperse the crowd. The gates were closed at that time. No further entry was permitted into the event.

For ticket holders whose tickets were not scanned, refunds will be offered at the point of purchase."

UPDATE 06/07/15, 11:29 PM: Witnesses are saying that the reason for the confrontation between the crowd and police was because police did not allow late-coming ticketholders to enter the stadium. Witnesses also state that the New Jersey state police pepper-sprayed and arrested people before any bottles were thrown at them.

UPDATE 06/07/15, 10:32 PM: There is still a large police presence outside of MetLife Stadium, but it seems that crowds have largely dissipated. There is an armored vehicle with an LRAD now blocking the entrance to the stadium. For the most part, people are just hanging out or calmly leaving.

It seems that Summer Jam is set to continue as scheduled.

Reports are coming in on social media that a crowd clashed with police outside of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where Hot 97's Summer Jam concert is taking place today. Crowd members were apparently throwing bottles at state police, who were equipped with riot gear.

Things escalated when the state police reportedly teargassed the crowd, which consisted of people trying to get into the concert.

Several people have been arrested, and there have been reports of crowd members being tased and pepper sprayed.

This is a developing story, and we'll update here as we learn more.