Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong defends performing at festival after acrobat's death
Singer said he wouldn't have gone on if he knew about the death.
— -- Green Day is speaking out after it began a headlining performance just after an acrobat fell to his death at Madrid's Mad Cool Festival on Friday.
The acrobat, Pedro Aunión, plunged 100 feet while performing in between sets at the sold-out festival.
In a statement obtained by ABC News, the band's lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, offered condolences to Aunión's family.
"Green Day did not hear about the accident until after our show was over."
"We are so sad for Pedro and his family, and we pray for them in this time of grief," the statement read. "I can't imagine how much suffering the friends and family are going through."
Armstrong, 45, then addressed those who were "wondering why we continued to play our show after the accident."
"Green Day did not hear about the accident until after our show was over," the statement said. "We didn't even know there was an acrobat performance at all. These festivals are huge. There are so many things happening at the same time, it's impossible to keep up with every performer/artist."
The statement explained that the band was backstage "about a half mile away from the main festival stage" when Aunión fell.
"15 minutes prior, our tour management was told by local authorities to wait to go onstage because there was some sort of security issue," the statement continued. "Security issues are a normal occurrence and procedure at any show. We were not told why, which is also normal. We waited as we were instructed. Still, we had no clue there was any such accident."
Armstrong said that when the band hit the stage and performed, for more than two hours, all seemed "normal" and that "the crowd and fans had a good time."
When the band returned backstage, they were "told the shocking news about Pedro," the statement said. "All of us were in disbelief."
"If we had known prior to our performance, we most likely would not have played at all. We are not heartless people. The safety and well-being at any of our concerts absolutely comes first," the statement continued.
The statement concluded by remembering Aunión.
"What happened to Pedro is unthinkable," it read. "Once again we are heartbroken for his friends and family. And we are also shocked and heartbroken for anyone that had to witness this tragedy."
"It was officially deemed unsafe to have a large mass of people moving all at once."
In a statement on Saturday obtained by ABC News, Mad Cool Festival's promoters Javier Arnaiz and Farruco Castromán said, "Mad Cool Festival regrets the terrible accident that the aerial dancer suffered during the second day of the festival."
"For security reasons, the festival decided to continue with its programming," the statement continued. "We send our most sincere condolences to all his family."
The statement added that during Saturday's performances, the festival "will render a heartfelt tribute to the artist."
The festival also issued a second statement on its website Saturday noting that the decision to continue the show was made by "state and local security forces as well as our security management."
"In this situation it was officially deemed unsafe to have a large mass of people moving all at once, with the possibility of violent reactions, due to a sudden cancellation of an event of 45,000 people," the statement continued. "The safety and security of the fans at the festival was of the highest order, and it was not compromised."
