Travis Scott and five others involved in the 2021 crowd crush at his Astroworld Festival have been spared criminal charges as a Texas grand jury decided not to indict them, announced Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
This outcome comes after a meticulous 19-month investigation into the tragic incident that claimed the lives of 10 individuals and caused injuries to numerous concertgoers.
Expressing her team’s unwavering dedication, Ogg stated, “Our investigators and prosecutors gave it everything they had to ensure that the grand jury could reach the truth.”
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During the ill-fated Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas, in 2021, Scott, 32, was performing when the crowd crush occurred. In earlier statements, the rapper had maintained that he was unaware of the fans’ injuries during the chaos.
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“It wasn’t until minutes until the press conference [after the show] until I figured out exactly what happened,” Scott candidly revealed in a 2021 interview with radio personality Charlamagne Tha God on YouTube. He further admitted, “Even after the show you are just hearing things, but I did not know the exact details… And even at that moment you’re like, ‘wait, what?’ People pass out, things happen at concerts, but something like that…”
Travis Scott’s attorney, Kent Schaffer, confirmed that the grand jury’s decision clears the rapper of any criminal charges related to the event. Schaffer emphasized that Scott never encouraged actions that resulted in harm to others and expressed relief at the outcome.
While extending sympathy to the victims and their families, Schaffer firmly asserted that his client, Travis, bears no responsibility for the tragedy. He argued that holding the rapper accountable through criminal charges would not assuage the pain endured by those affected.
A representative for Travis Scott echoed Schaffer’s sentiments, affirming that the Harris County District Attorney’s decision vindicates the rapper’s innocence in the Astroworld tragedy. The representative cited extensive investigative reporting by various media outlets, as well as federal and state government reports, which have consistently placed the onus for event safety on organizers, operators, and contractors rather than performers.
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Concluding their statement, the representative expressed hope that with this legal resolution, government efforts would focus on preventing future heartbreaking incidents like Astroworld from ever recurring. Travis Scott, who stopped the show on three separate occasions and remained unaware of the unfolding events, now awaits a future free from unwarranted blame as the chapter closes on this devastating incident.
