- At least 154 people were killed after a crowd surge on Saturday in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul.
- Most of the victims were in their 20s and 30s, The Associated Press reported.
An Ohio congressman's niece was among the 154 people who were killed after a crowd overwhelmed a district in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday.
On Saturday, an estimated 100,000 people poured into the streets of Itaewon — a popular nightlife district in Seoul, South Korea, for locals and tourists — for Halloween festivities, The Associated Press reported.
The exact cause of the crush of people that ensued is unclear, but by late evening, partygoers began to cram into an alleyway that was about 11 feet wide, according to The New York Times, creating a dangerous bottleneck effect.
Initial reports estimated that 54 people died with many more injured. By Sunday, the death toll increased to at least 154 people dead and 149 injured, according to Reuters.
Rep. Brad Wenstrup said in a press release on Monday that his niece, Anne Marie Gieske, was one of the victims.
The exact cause of death was not stated, and it's unclear if Giekse died at the scene or afterward in a hospital.
"Monica and I, and our entire family, are grieving the loss of our niece Anne Marie Gieske," Rep. Wenstrup wrote. "She was a gift from God to our family. We loved her so much."
Wenstrup's spokesperson, Barbara Boland, said the congressman did not want to provide further comment at this time.
More than 80% of the victims who were killed were in their 20s or 30s, The AP reported, citing the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
At least two of those who died and three who were injured were US citizens, a spokesperson from the State Department told Insider. Due to privacy considerations, the spokesperson could not confirm if the victims included Gieske.
"We are completely devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Anne Marie. She was a bright light loved by all," her parents, Dan and Madonna Gieske, said in a public statement.
"We ask for your prayers but also the respect of our privacy. Anne's final gift to us was dying in the state of sanctifying grace. We know we will one day be reunited with her in God's kingdom."