• Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
• Posted November 15, 2021

9-Year-Old Becomes 10th Casualty of Astroworld's Crowd Surge

A young boy who was injured at the Astroworld Festival in Houston has become the 10th person to die from a huge crowd surge at the event.

Ezra Blount, 9, was trampled at the festival and had been placed in a medically induced coma in an attempt to deal with severe brain, liver and kidney trauma, attorneys for his family said last week, CBS News reported.

"The Blount family tonight is grieving the ultimate, incomprehensible loss of their precious young son," the attorneys said in a statement. "This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, 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."

Ezra's family is suing Travis Scott and other concert organizers for negligence, and the lawsuit says that Ezra was "kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death" during the crowd surge.

"I am saddened to learn of Ezra's death this evening," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted. "Our city tonight prays for his mom, dad, grandparents, other family members and classmates at this time. They will need all of our support in the months and years to come. May God give them strength. RIP Ezra."

Scott and other festival organizers are facing numerous lawsuits over what happened at the concert. Scott has said he will pay for the funeral expenses of the victims and added that he was "absolutely devastated by what took place."

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