Rapper Travis Scott will not face criminal charges over Texas crowd surge, lawyer says

Travis Scott. File Picture: Amy Harris/Invision/AP

A Texas grand jury has declined to indict rapper Travis Scott in a criminal investigation into a massive crowd surge that killed 10 people at the 2021 Astroworld music festival in Houston, his attorney said Thursday.

Lawyer Kent Schaffer confirmed that the grand jury had met and decided not to indict his client on any criminal charges stemming from the concert. Schaffer said he was not sure what charges the grand jury had considered.

“He never encouraged people to do anything that resulted in other people being hurt,” Schaffer said, adding that the decision is “a great relief.” 

Houston police and federal officials have been investigating whether Scott, concert promoter Live Nation and others had sufficient safety measures in place.

Schaffer said he feels sympathy for those who were killed at the festival and their families.

“But Travis is not responsible,” Schaffer said. 

“Bringing criminal charges against him will not ease their pain.”

Scott is due to play the Longitude Festival in Dublin's Marlay Park this Sunday.

- Associated Press