Photo: Travis Scott | By Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone / Yahoo | Travis Scott and several organizers behind the Astroworld Festival will not face criminal charges following the crowd rush that killed 10 people who attended the festival 19 months ago, a Grand Jury in Houston determined on Thursday.
The decision comes well over a year after the tragedy, where along with the 10 deaths, hundreds of others said they were injured after festival-goers rushed to the stage toward the beginning of Scott’s headlining set on November 5, 2021. Attendees said they were stuffed together during the set and struggled to breathe, and others were trampled amid the chaotic scene. Scott briefly paused his set before continuing the performance and finishing the show after about an hour.
Scott’s attorney, Kent Schaffer, said in a statement: “My client Travis Scott will not be charged with criminal charges or any wrongdoing for his involvement with AstroWorld festival. Today’s decision by the Harris County District Attorney confirms what we have known all along — that Travis Scott is not responsible for the AstroWorld tragedy. This is consistent with investigative reporting by numerous media outlets and federal and state government reports that have squarely placed the onus for event safety crises on organizers, operators and contractors — not performers. While waiting patiently for the District Attorney’s decision to not file charges, Travis Scott has been inaccurately and wrongly singled out, despite stopping the show three separate times and being unaware of the events as they were unfolding. Now that this chapter is closed, we hope for the government efforts to focus on what is most important — stopping future heartbreaking tragedies like AstroWorld from ever occurring again.”
District Attorney Kim Ogg added: “Our job is narrow. It’s to determine if this tragedy, this absolute disastrous, horrific event, involved criminal activity by anyone at the top to the bottom, or in between.”
Houston police and federal officials have been investigating whether Scott, concert promoter Live Nation, and others had sufficient safety measures in place. During a press conference on Thursday, the lead investigator on the case explained the tragedy’s details. . . .
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Read the rest of the story here:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/travis-scott-not-face-criminal-203726409.html
Editor’s note: I agree with this decision. I know it’s hard on the families of the deceased and injured but I also know that there is no warning that such an event might happen. And certainly not to the performers on stage. I still have a scar on my forehead from when I was shoved at a “crowd rush” at a concert and my forehead hit a big guy’s elbow, splitting my head open! Shoot – I was IN THE CROWD – and didn’t know it was happening until I got slammed!
Photo: Travis Scott | http://www.facebook.com/travisscottlaflame
Travis Scott Will Not Face Criminal Charges Over Deadly Crowd Rush
