The death toll in the Astroworld Festival stampede has risen to nine with the death of a 22-year-old Texas college student late on Wednesday.
On Friday, a stampede of fans at rap star Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival killed nine people between the ages of 14 and 27 and injured dozens more. According to police, a 9-year-old boy is still in critical condition in the hospital.
Bharti Shahani, a computer science student at Texas A&M University, died from ‘horrific injuries’ from the crush at the rap concert, the family’s lawyer, James Lassite, said on Thursday. She went to the concert with her sister and a cousin, both of whom survived.
According to a statement, Travis Scott asked victims to contact him on Thursday, saying that he ‘desperately wishes to share his condolences and provide aid.’ The rapper had previously offered to pay for funeral expenses as well as mental health counselling.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said on Wednesday that officers are still interviewing witnesses and compiling a timeline of events leading up to the deaths.
Mohit Bellani, Shahani’s cousin who also went for the concert, said that barricades that surrounded the audience prevented them from fleeing the crushing stampede.
‘Perhaps this wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t packed us in with barriers on all three sides,’ he said.
During Scott’s performance, authorities informed the promoter that cardiopulmonary resuscitation was being performed on one or more attendees and requested that the concert be cancelled, Finner added.
At least 50 lawsuits were filed against the Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and Travis Scott in connection with the deaths and injuries that occurred during the concert on Friday.
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