Astroworld: deaths of 10 people at Houston concert ruled accidental
The deaths of 10 people at a Houston rap concert in November were accidental, the Harris county medical examiner ruled on Thursday.
A stampede of fans at rap star Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival also injured scores, among some 50,000 who attended the concert.
The medical examiner’s finding could have a major impact on a criminal investigation into the tragedy, which has shaken Houston and raised issues about crowd control and security at entertainment mega-events.
Those who were killed died from compression asphyxia, officials said.
Medical examiners with the Harris county institute of forensic sciences in Houston had to wait several weeks following the 5 November concert, holding out for additional test results before making final determinations on cause and manner of the deaths.
The youngest victim was nine-yearold Ezra Blount. The others who died ranged in ages from 14 to 27.
Some 300 people were injured and treated at the festival site and 25 were taken to hospitals.
Dozens of lawsuits have been filed over injuries and deaths at the concert, where fans surged toward the stage during Scott’s concert, squeezing people so tightly together that they could not breathe or move their arms.
Scott and the event organizers are the focus of a criminal investigation by Houston police. No one has been charged. No timetable has been set for when the investigation would be completed.
Scott’s attorney reached out to the families of the 10 who died, offering to pay for their loved ones’ funeral costs. Several families turned down the offer.
Experts in crowd safety say an investigation by neutral outsiders could help avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency.
An operations plan for the festival detailed protocols for scenarios such as a shooter, bomb or terrorist threats, and severe weather, but not a crowd surge.