Ezra Blount, a 9-year-old boy who suffered brain trauma in the crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival in Houston last week, has died, lawyers for his family said.
Ezra was put into a medically induced coma in an attempt to save his life after he suffered brain, kidney and liver trauma as a result of what some witnesses described as a "crush" of music fans at the Nov. 5 event, which has now claimed 10 lives.
Ezra was on the shoulders of his father, Treston Blount, when the crowd began to crush together and Blount passed out, causing his son to fall.
His parents secured the services of high-profile lawyer Benjamin Crump, as well as Alex Hilliard, Bob Hilliard and Paul Grinke, to represent them in a lawsuit alleging that organizers failed at crowd control during the planned two-day concert organized by hip-hop star Travis Scott.
In a statement Sunday announcing Ezra's death, Crump's office said: "Ezra sustained life-threatening injuries and was placed in a medically induced coma on life support in an attempt to combat his brain, liver, and kidney trauma.
"This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration," the statement reads. "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.”
Astroworld promoter Live Nation said in a statement Friday, "We continue to support and assist local authorities in their ongoing investigation so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time."
Houston's police chief, Troy Finner, has tried to put at some of the blame for the tragedy on Scott, who was performing on stage when injuries in the crowd started to happen after 9 p.m., after the start of his set. According to a timeline published by the Houston Chronicle, a mass casualty event was declared at 9:38 p.m.
The show, with concerned pauses apparent in multiple videos, went on until after 10.
"Travis Scott didn't know that there was a mass casualty event that was called," his litigation attorney, Edwin McPherson, said. "Nobody told him, nobody told his crew. When finally somebody communicated something to to his crew that this was the last song that was about 10:10, Travis said ‘OK, last song’ and he stopped it when he was told to stop it."
Scott said in an Instagram story a day after the tragedy that he was "devastated" by what took place.
"I could never imagine anything like this just happening," he said. "My fans really mean the world to me, and I always just really want to leave them with a positive experience. Any time I can make out ... anything that's going on, I'd stop the show and ... help them get the help they need."
He's offered to pay for all funerals for the deceased. Additionally, sources close to the performer said, he will give refunds to festivalgoers. The second day of the two-day event was canceled.
The nine other concertgoers who died were ages 14 to 27. On Wednesday night, Bharti Shahani, 22, a college student, died from her injuries, her family's attorney said. She had been in critical condition on a ventilator after having attending the concert with her sister and a cousin, family members said.
