remembering ezra blount
9-year-old passes away from injuries sustained during Astroworld Festival
A 9-year-old child has passed away due to injuries he sustained at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival. Ezra Blount, who had been on life support at Texas Children’s Hospital after being injured, died on Sunday, November 14, his family told CultureMap news partner ABC13.
Ezra’s father, Treston, spoke to ABC13 about the harrowing mass-casualty event caused by a massive crowd surge. Ezra, his father said, was a Travis Scott fan and excited for the show.
“He was so stoked,” Treston recalled to ABC13. “He was ready to go.”
Treston held his son high on his shoulders as the countdown began to Scott’s performance at NRG Park in Houston on Friday, November 5. The father, wary of crowds, opted to stay towards the back as it seemed calmer.
However, said Treston, when Scott took the stage, the crowd aggressively pushed and surged. Treston said he lost consciousness and Ezra fell to the ground.
Ezra was then trampled by the crowd.
After regaining consciousness, Treston could not find his son at onsite medic tents or hospitals. He later received a message from a police officer, including a picture of Ezra. Upon arriving at the hospital, Treston was told that his son suffered major organ damage and brain swelling and required life support.
Attorney Ben Crump, already filing nearly 100 lawsuits against the festival, released the following statement on behalf of the Blount family:
The Blount family 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 we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer.
A GoFundMe was started for the Blount family, with more than $83,000 already raised.
Here are the names of the 10 Astroworld victims who have passed away:
Ezra Blount, 9
Bharti Shahani, 22
Mirza Baig, 27, of Houston
Rodolfo Peña, 23, of Laredo, Texas
Madison Dubiski, 23, of Cypress, Texas
Franco Patiño, 21, of Illinois
Jacob Jurinke, 20, of Illinois
John Hilgert, 14, of Houston
Axel Acosta Avila, 21, of Washington
Brianna Rodriguez, 16, of Houston