Travis Scott Has Been Cleared Of All Possible Criminal Charges In 2021 Astro-World Tragedy

According to CNN: Travis Scott – the rapper and producer who organized the ill-fated 2021 Astroworld Festival – will not be indicted in connection with the crowd crush that left 10 people dead and injured hundreds at the event, District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Thursday. 

A grand jury also decided not to indict additional people connected to the festival who were part of the police investigation, including chief of security John Junnell and festival director Brett Silberstein.

“In this instance, the grand jury of the 228th District Court of Harris County found that no crime did occur, that no single individual was criminally responsible,” Ogg said.

“It is tragic that 10 innocent people were killed while trying to enjoy an evening of music and entertainment, something many of us do routinely and without a second thought to our safety. But a tragedy isn’t always a crime, and not every death is a homicide,” Ogg also said. “This grand jury’s determination has no impact on the many civil lawsuits pending.”

The victims died of “compression asphyxia,” according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. The youngest victim was nine years old. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Scott and other organizers, including the entertainment company Live Nation. The defendants have denied the allegations that negligence in the planning and promotion of the festival contributed to the deaths.

“While waiting patiently for the District Attorney’s decision to not file charges, Travis Scott has been inaccurately and wrongly singled out, despite stopping the show three separate times and being unaware of the events as they were unfolding,” Scott’s spokesperson Ted Anastasiou told CNN Thursday. “Now that this chapter is closed, we hope for the government efforts to focus on what is most important – stopping future heartbreaking tragedies like Astroworld from ever occurring again.”

“Criminally speaking there is no case,” Scott’s attorney, Kent Schaffer told CNN by phone.

Schaffer delivered the news to Scott, who is out of the country for a concert.

“He is ecstatic. It’s a huge weight that has been removed from his shoulders. He’s looking forward to getting back home after being cleared by the grand jury,” Schaffer told CNN.