A child who was one of the latest victims of the Astroworld tragedy has succumbed to severe injuries sustained during the stampede which has taken the lives of nine others. Nine-year old Ezra Blount had been put into a medically induced coma in order to battle severe liver, kidney and brain damage he sustained after falling from his father's shoulders and being trampled by the crowd during the concert which took place on November 5 at NRG Park in Texas.
"The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son. This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration. Ezra's death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are committed to seeking answers and justice for the Blount family. But tonight we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer," said the statement from Blount family lawyer Ben Crump said.
Ezra's grandfather Vermont Blount said that the boy had been separated from his father as the crowd of almost 50,000 fans began to rush around the concert area while rapper Travis Scott performed on stage. Videos of the incident have emerged in which emergency vehicles and personnel struggled to get through the packed crowd, who in some cases, even tried to obstruct them.
The Blount family has filed a lawsuit of negligence against the organizers of the Astroworld concert along with over 30 others seeking justice for their loved ones. Dozens were injured and separated from loved ones during the stampede. Travis Scott has offered to pay for the funerals of the deceased although he is also accused of not stopping his performance even after being informed of the stampede. The lawsuit alleges that the organizers and Scott, who was performing onstage, failed to create and enforce proper safety protocols, maintain crowd control, and provide sufficient security staff for the 50,000 people at the concert.
2 high school students, an engineering student and a man who was trying to save his fiancée are among the Astroworld Festival victims. Another Indian-origin student Bharti Shahani also passed away last week due to injuries.