Rapper Travis Scott has been cleared of any charges by a grand jury in relation to the deaths of ten people at his Astroworld music festival in Houston in 2021, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s office on Thursday.
The grand jury in Harris County determined that there wasn’t enough evidence to criminally charge Scott or others involved in the concert for their role in the deaths, as reported by CBS affiliate KHOU.
The tragic incident, referred to as a “mass casualty incident,” occurred during Scott’s show on November 6, 2021. The crowd began to compress towards the front of the stage, causing panic and resulting in injuries, as explained by Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña at a subsequent news conference.
Houston police officials stated that the deaths were a result of overpopulation and compaction within a single quadrant of the concert venue, clarifying that it was not a stampede, stage rush, or crowd surge. Detective Mike Barrow emphasized that it was a slow compaction that led to the collapse within the crowd.
The grand jury’s decision came after a 19-month investigation conducted by the Houston Police Department, which involved digital evidence, witness statements, and chronology reports, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. Although the police’s full report will be made public, no specific release date has been provided.
Brent Silberstein, the manager of the Astroworld Festival, and five others were initially facing charges related to the incident, according to Christopher Downey, Silberstein’s lawyer. However, the grand jury’s findings also concluded that there were no probable charges against Silberstein or Travis Scott.
Downey expressed relief for his client, highlighting the stress and anticipation of potential criminal charges. “This has been two long years for Brent Silberstein. It’s been an enormously stressful time, and we were ready to defend against any criminal charges,” said Downey.
In a subsequent interview, Houston’s fire chief, Samuel Peña, expressed the view that both Travis Scott and the organizers of the Astroworld festival should have halted the event upon recognizing the danger faced by attendees. Peña emphasized the shared responsibility of everyone involved to ensure the safety of the crowd.
The incident occurred on the opening night of the festival, with over 50,000 concertgoers present. As Scott performed, the crowd surged towards the stage, resulting in panic and numerous injuries. Twenty-five people were rushed to local hospitals, with 11 experiencing cardiac arrest, according to the police.
In an interview with radio host Charlamagne Tha God in December 2021, Scott revealed that he was unaware of the severity of the tragic event until minutes before the press conference. He expressed surprise and disbelief at the scale of the incident, acknowledging that while people occasionally pass out at concerts, an event of such magnitude was unexpected.
Scott stated that the event organizers informed him through his earpiece that the show would be ended after the guest finished their set, but didn’t provide a reason for the decision. “They just told me that right after the guest gets off stage, you know, we’re gonna end the show,” Scott explained. “And that’s what we did. Other than that, there was no other communication.”
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