Fans charging the stage at Astroworld festival caused serious injuries and ten deaths. Those that died included people from ages 9-27. At least another 25 people were immediately hospitalized after the concert, and 13 remain hospitalized a week later. Witnesses recall crowds crushing victims in an attempt to get closer to the stage.
“This should have never happened,” says professional lawyer Julio Patino Jr. “There should be more rules in place to prevent this in the future. They should have stopped the concert right away as soon as all this started happening.”
Excitement and obsession quickly turned into tragedy and horror as a crowd of 50,000 charged at the stage at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas. Fans had violently pushed through the gates to get into the concert early that afternoon on November 5, 2021.
It started at 2 PM when early crowds pushed through security, knocking over metal detectors on their way in. The crowd expanded as it got closer to start time, and the moment Travis Scott appeared on stage, the crowd went wild.
Bharti Shahani died on November 10, 2021, after attending the Astroworld concert. Shahani reportedly sustained multiple life-threatening injuries to her body and was placed on a ventilator. Shahani’s cousin, Mohit Bellani, who was also at the festival, reported “feeling suffocated.”
The youngest and most recent victim was nine-year-old Ezra Blount, who was just in Texas to see “his favorite artist” with his dad. Blount reportedly remained in a medically induced coma since the festival, experiencing serious brain, liver, and kidney trauma. He later died on November 14, 2021.
Ezra’s father, Treston Blount, said that they did their best to remain at the back of the crowd because he “thought it would be calmer.” Unfortunately, they got caught up in the crowd. Treston lost consciousness and his son fell off his shoulders.
“The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son. This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration. Ezra’s death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are committed to seeking answers and justice for the Blount family. But tonight we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer,” the statement from the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said.
“I think the word that should be used is an atrocity, that this was 100% avoidable, that this was an act of pure brutality,” continues Bellani. It is debatable whether Travis Scott ought to be held accountable for this incident. Up to this point, over 100 civil lawsuits have been filed. In one case, Scott was accused of actively worsening the condition of the crowd.
However, Scott alleges that he had no idea what was happening. While Scott did reportedly tell the crowd to “rage,” he maintains that this common nomenclature was simply encouraging the audience to have a good time.
Attorney Thomas Henry, representing a victim, claims that, “There is every indication that the performers, organizers, and venue were not only aware of the hectic crowd but also that injuries and potential deaths may have occurred.” During the show, many of the festival security guards were notified. Fans became so desperate they began to climb on stage, trying to get someone to stop the concert.
This tragedy has set a precedent for many other performers, showing the importance of prioritizing safety. Moving forward, performers hope to take safety much more seriously than now. Any and every singer or performer has to take overcrowding into consideration, and safety precautions must be performed in light of this tragedy.
