HOUSTON, TEXAS: It's been almost two years since the catastrophic crowd crush occurred on the opening night of Travis Scott's Astroworld music festival, which took place at NRG Park in Houston, Texas on November 5, 2021. The 32-year-old 'Butterfly Effect' rapper received criticism for how he handled the situation in which 10 people tragically suffocated to death in the crowd and thousands were injured.
Scott's apology video was widely mocked after it got viral and became a popular meme online. The artist and many other Astroworld participants, such as the promoters and organizers, were sued. While the remaining portion of the festival was postponed, there hasn't been an Astroworld festival again since the tragedy. As the incident remains fresh in fans' minds, the question arises, will the rapper be criminally charged?
Will Travis Scott face criminal charges in the Astroworld tragedy?
A Texas grand jury on Thursday, June 29 decided not to file criminal charges against Travis Scott and others involved with the planning of the concert in connection with a 2021 crowd crush that resulted in 10 fatalities and thousands of injuries, as per BBC. The judgment, according to rapper's attorney Kent Schaffer, is "a great relief" for his client. The rapper is still facing numerous civil lawsuits related to the Houston performance.
What happened at 2021 Astroworld festival?
In 2018, Scott co-founded Astroworld with concert promoters Live Nation. At the 5 November 2021 event, chaos erupted when the overflow audience crowded in close to the stage for his headlining act. Thousands of people were hurt. Compressive asphyxiation claimed the lives of ten individuals, ages nine to 27.
The rapper stated that he was "distraught" by the horrible event but that he was unaware of its full scope until he exited the stage. He and fellow rapper, Drake, came under fire for allegedly continuing their performances while "lifeless bodies were being passed through the crowd in full view of the stage," according to reports. As per Houston's fire chief, Scott ought to have called off the performance far sooner.
'Travis is not responsible'
Federal agents as well as Houston police are looking into whether Scott, Live Nation, and others did enough to ensure the event's safety. In a statement, Schaffer, Scott's lawyer, confirmed that the jury convened but decided not to indict his client. He added that he was unaware of the allegations that were under consideration. "He never encouraged people to do anything that resulted in other people being hurt," Schaffer stated. While expressing compassion for those hurt by the stampede, Mr Schaffer continued, "Travis is not responsible. Bringing criminal charges against him will not ease their pain." According to Reuters, Brent Silberstein, the event manager for Live Nation, and five other people were also exonerated.
'This chapter is closed'
Several victims' lawsuits are still pending in Texas state courts. In October 2022, the family of one victim reached a settlement with Scott, Live Nation, and others; the contents of the deal, however, have not been made public. But the rapper's lawyer said in a statement, "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."
'That’s insane'
On the internet, there have been a variety of responses. Some people have accepted that the rapper did nothing, while others have been horrified by the decision. A user tweeted, "Not a single charge stuck? That’s insane." A second one wrote, "He didn’t do anything." "It was not his fault, and there was nothing he could do but certainly put the blame on the event planner and probably the security personnel. RIP to the lost souls," wrote the third fan. When one user claimed, "i knew he beat the case," another asked, "Why is it something to celebrate." "He didn’t have nothing to do with anything because the people had rushed in the concert already being packed," said another of Scott. Damn that was in 2021? Time flies," wondered another fan.
