Calay News
Authorities in Houston, Texas, announced Thursday that rapper Travis Scott will not face criminal charges for the ten deaths that occurred during a tragic incident at a festival in 2021. District Attorney Kim Ogg told reporters that the Harris County 228th District Court grand jury found that no crime was committed and that no one was criminally responsible.
In addition to Scott, others involved in organizing the Astroworld Festival, which Scott created and launched in 2018, were also cleared of charges. The tragedy occurred on Nov. 5, 2021, during Scott’s performance before approximately 50,000 attendees at Houston’s NRG Park. According to firefighter reports at the time, the incidents began when the crowd surged against the stage, causing panic, injuries, and people passing out.
Ten people died from asphyxiation, including a 9-year-old minor, and there were numerous injuries, some of them minors. Several lawsuits were filed against Scott and the event organizers, accusing them of negligence in planning the festival.
The district attorney expressed regret over the tragedy but noted that not every tragedy constitutes a crime and not every death is a homicide. According to testimonies and press reports, Scott ended his performance an hour after it began, amid confusion and the arrival of ambulances.
Travis Scott’s spokesman, Ted Anastasiou, told CNN that the rapper was inaccurately and erroneously fingered for a crime, even though he stopped the show on three separate occasions and was unaware of what was going on under the stage.
Scott’s attorney, Kent Schaffer, also stated that there is no criminal case against his client and that this news is a great relief for him. Scott is currently serving overseas assignments and hopes to return home after being exonerated by the grand jury.
