Houston, Texas – A Houston grand jury has decided not to indict rap star Travis Scott and five others on criminal charges related to the tragic deaths of 10 people at the 2021 Astroworld Festival. The decision comes nearly 20 months after the music festival at NRG Park, which left hundreds injured and sparked widespread scrutiny.
The grand jury’s decision not to proceed with criminal charges was based on the evidence it heard, finding that no crime occurred and no single individual was criminally responsible, according to county District Attorney Kim Ogg.
The event drew attention to numerous warning signs that preceded it, including concerns about event staff, a security gate breach, and communication lapses. Despite the lack of criminal charges, Scott still faces numerous lawsuits from hundreds of people who were injured in the chaos.
Following the tragedy, Gov. Greg Abbott created a task force to study ways to enhance security at Texas concerts, which issued a nine-page report on concert safety in April 2022. The report made several recommendations to improve safety at similar events.
Houston police investigators leading the 19-month probe stated that all 10 deaths occurred in a specific area near the main stage where Scott performed, attributing the deaths to overpopulation and a slow constriction in the area that trapped fans within the crowd.
The Harris County medical examiner ruled the cause of death as compression asphyxia and classified the deaths as accidents. Additionally, Houston police Chief Troy Finner announced the department’s plans to release an over 1,000-page criminal offense report to provide transparency.
Despite the lack of criminal charges, the tragedy at the Astroworld Festival has led to increased scrutiny of event safety and sparked ongoing efforts to hold responsible parties accountable for the chaos that ensued.