Travis Scott will not be facing criminal charges over the deadly 2021 crowd crush at his Astroworld music festival that left 10 people dead and thousands injured, according to the Houston Chronicle.
As first reported by Reuters, prosecutors presented evidence to grand jurors on Thursday in Harris County, Texas to consider whether there was probable cause to support criminal charges.
The fatal crowd crush began as Scott took the stage at NRG Park in Houston, Texas on November 5th, 2021, the first night of his hometown festival. Though both the rapper and festival organizers appeared to acknowledge that something seemed wrong, Scott finished his set and even brought out Drake as a surprise guest.
A medical examiner later ruled that all 10 Astroworld victims had died as a result of “compression asphyxia,” which is caused when respiration is prevented by external pressure on the body, limiting oxygen supply to the lungs.
There were hundreds of lawsuits filed in the aftermath of the tragedy, including one seeking $750 million in damages against Scott, Drake, promoter Live Nation, Apple Music, and dozens of other defendants. In the latter suit, plaintiffs accused both artists and Live Nation of negligence.
In January 2022, the Texas Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation granted a joint motion from both victims and organizers consolidating the separate lawsuits into a single case before one judge.