Texas concert death toll rises as 22-year-old student succumbs to
injuries
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[November 12, 2021]
By Erwin Seba
HOUSTON (Reuters) -The death toll in the
Astroworld Festival stampede rose to nine with the death of a
22-year-old Texas college student late on Wednesday, according to a
lawyer for the family.
A stampede of fans during rap star Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival on
Friday killed nine people between the ages of 14 and 27 and injured
scores. A 9-year-old boy remains hospitalized in critical condition,
police have said.
Bharti Shahani, a Texas A&M University computer science student, died
from "horrific injuries" sustained at the rap concert, James Lassiter, a
lawyer for the family, said on Thursday. She attended the concert with
her sister and cousin who survived.
"We want to make sure that the people who decided to put profits over
the safety of the lives of children are held responsible," said Lassiter
in a news conference attended by Shahani's family.
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Scott on Thursday asked victims to reach out to him, saying he
"desperately wishes to share his condolences and provide aid," according
to a statement. The rapper earlier offered to pay for funeral costs and
mental health counseling.
Police are continuing to interview witnesses and are building a timeline
of events leading to the deaths, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said
on Wednesday.
Mohit Bellani, Shahani's cousin who also attended the performance, said
barricades hemmed in attendees and prevented them from escaping the
crushing stampede.
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The death toll in the Astroworld Festival stampede rose to nine with
the death of a 22-year-old Texas college student late on Wednesday.
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"If they hadn't packed us in with barriers on all
three sides, maybe this wouldn't have happened," he said.
Authorities informed the promoter during Scott's performance that
cardiopulmonary resuscitation was under way on one or more attendees
and asked for the concert to be halted, Finner said.
Scott's attorney criticized police statements as inconsistent.
Houston officials should stop "fingerpointing so that together we
can identify exactly what transpired and how we can prevent anything
like this from happening again," said attorney Edwin McPherson.
At least 50 lawsuits have been filed against producer Live Nation
Entertainment Inc and Scott because of deaths and injuries related
to Friday's concert.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba in Houston and Jill Serjeant in Los
AngelesEditing by Cynthia Osterman, Lisa Shumaker and Matthew Lewis)
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