Travis Scott will not face criminal charges for the fatal shooting at Astroworld

A Texas grand jury has decided that Travis Scott will not be indicted following a fatal shooting from the crowd at the Astroworld Music Festival.

The rapper launched the festival with concert promoters Live Nation in 2018, however, during a performance on November 5, 2021, thousands were injured when an overcapacity crowd erupted in front of the stage during Scott’s headlining performance.

​​​​​​10 people died from compression asphyxia during the show, and victims were between 9 and 27 years old.

At the time, Scott stated that he was “devastated” by the tragedy, but did not realize the seriousness of the events until he left the stage. After the incident, thousands of plaintiffs came forward seeking billions of dollars in damages.

According to Rolling Stone, plaintiffs have cited various allegations, including poor planning by the festival organizers and a lack of security, as contributing factors to the rush of people.

Both federal authorities and Houston police have launched an investigation to determine whether Scott or Live Nation implemented adequate security measures for the event.

After the incident, Scott and Drake were criticized for continuing their performance while being crushed in the audience. According to the BBC, not only were there accounts of “lifeless bodies making their way through the crowd in full view of the stage”, but the Houston fire marshal also said that Scott should have stopped the show much earlier.

Now, a Texas grand jury has declined to indict the rapper for the events that took place. Scott’s lawyer, Kent Schaffer, has declared that the decision is a “great relief” for his client (via the BBC).

Schaffer confirmed in a statement that the jury convened, but decided not to indict his client. He also denied any wrongdoing by the rapper: “He didn’t encourage people to do anything that would hurt other people,” he said. “Travis is not responsible. Filing criminal charges against him will not ease the pain [de la víctima]“.

Lawsuits filed by multiple victims remain active in Texas state courts.

Last October, the family of one of the victims reached an agreement with the rapper and Live Nation, although the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In other Travis Scott news, back in May, the rapper teased his upcoming album ‘Utopia’ for Houston’s professional baseball team, the Astros.

No release date or tracklist details for “Utopia” have been announced yet, but Scott has been eyeing 2021. The album will be his fourth full-length, five years after the release of “Astroworld.”