• Hannah Longoria leaves flowers as people visit a makeshift memorial on Sunday at the NRG Park grounds, in Houston, Texas, where eight people died in a crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival. AFP
    Hannah Longoria leaves flowers as people visit a makeshift memorial on Sunday at the NRG Park grounds, in Houston, Texas, where eight people died in a crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival. AFP
  • Local high school friends who attended the Travis Scott concert, Isaac Hernandez and Matthias Coronel, both 17, watch Jesus Martinez sign a remembrance board at the memorial. AFP
    Local high school friends who attended the Travis Scott concert, Isaac Hernandez and Matthias Coronel, both 17, watch Jesus Martinez sign a remembrance board at the memorial. AFP
  • Bryanna Morales, 17, injured in the accident, is held by her mother Elma Morales at the makeshift memorial. Morales says she was knocked down twice and injured her foot during the concert. AFP
    Bryanna Morales, 17, injured in the accident, is held by her mother Elma Morales at the makeshift memorial. Morales says she was knocked down twice and injured her foot during the concert. AFP
  • Bryanna Morales, 17, shows a video of the crowd surge that killed eight at the festival. She says the medical staff were not properly trained. "I was taken into the medical tent because I was having a hard time breathing and all they did was hand me a bottle of water and told me to sit in the corner." AFP
    Bryanna Morales, 17, shows a video of the crowd surge that killed eight at the festival. She says the medical staff were not properly trained. "I was taken into the medical tent because I was having a hard time breathing and all they did was hand me a bottle of water and told me to sit in the corner." AFP
  • A woman lights a candle at the memorial. Authorities in Texas opened a criminal investigation into the festival accident. AFP
    A woman lights a candle at the memorial. Authorities in Texas opened a criminal investigation into the festival accident. AFP
  • About 50,000 people were in the audience at NRG Park on Friday night when the crowd started pushing toward the stage as Scott was performing, triggering chaotic scenes. AFP
    About 50,000 people were in the audience at NRG Park on Friday night when the crowd started pushing toward the stage as Scott was performing, triggering chaotic scenes. AFP
  • Family members and friends have begun to share accounts of their loved ones with journalists and through social media. AFP
    Family members and friends have begun to share accounts of their loved ones with journalists and through social media. AFP
  • Reverend Paul Felix leads a prayer vigil held for the victims of the Astroworld crowd surge, at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Houston. AFP
    Reverend Paul Felix leads a prayer vigil held for the victims of the Astroworld crowd surge, at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Houston. AFP
  • Reverend Paul Felix walks down the aisle to begin a prayer vigil held for the victims of the Astroworld crowd surge, at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Houston. AFP
    Reverend Paul Felix walks down the aisle to begin a prayer vigil held for the victims of the Astroworld crowd surge, at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Houston. AFP
  • Jim McIngvale, also known as Mattress Mack, looks on during a prayer vigil held for the victims of the Astroworld crowd surge. AFP
    Jim McIngvale, also known as Mattress Mack, looks on during a prayer vigil held for the victims of the Astroworld crowd surge. AFP
  • A visitor writes a note at the memorial. AFP
    A visitor writes a note at the memorial. AFP
  • Visitors look at the memorial. AFP
    Visitors look at the memorial. AFP
  • Candles are seen outside the venue of the canceled Astroworld festival. AFP
    Candles are seen outside the venue of the canceled Astroworld festival. AFP
  • Items of memorial outside the venue of the cancelled Astroworld festival. AFP
    Items of memorial outside the venue of the cancelled Astroworld festival. AFP
  • Mayor Sylvester Turner speaks about the cancellation of the Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas. AFP
    Mayor Sylvester Turner speaks about the cancellation of the Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas. AFP

World

US

Astroworld death toll rises as college student succumbs to injuries

Rapper Travis Scott asks victims contact him directly to provide them with help

The National

November 11, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The death toll in the Astroworld Festival stampede has risen to nine with the death of a 22-year-old Texas college student, according to a lawyer for the family.

Bharti Shahani, a Texas A&M University student, died late on Wednesday from "horrific injuries" sustained at the rap concert, family lawyer James Lassiter said on Thursday. She attended the concert with her sister and cousin who survived.

Shahani had shown no brain activity earlier this week from the injuries caused by the stampede, ABC reported.

"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 Mr Lassiter in a news conference attended by Shahani's family.

Shahani's father described her as an "angel" with a "bright future".

"Only thing I’ll request, to the Houstonians, to please, please make sure that she gets justice," her father Bhagu “Sunny” Shahani said at the news conference.

Emergency plans for the Astroworld Festival, which attracted 50,000 people, did not include crowd surges.

Rapper Travis Scott, performing at the time of the stampede, on Thursday asked victims at his Astroworld Festival in Houston to contact him directly to provide them with help.

Scott had already offered to pay for the funeral costs of those killed and for free mental health counselling.

Hundreds more people were injured in the surge last week as Scott took to the stage. A criminal investigation into the deaths at Astroworld is underway.

Agencies contributed to this report

Updated: November 11, 2021, 9:37 PM
US