Astroworld Festival stampede: 9-year-old victim dies, family says, bringing death toll to 10
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By Kelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
HOUSTON — Ezra Blount, the 9-year-old boy placed in a medically induced coma after being trampled in the Nov. 5 crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, has died.
Family members confirmed the child’s death to KTRK late Sunday.
Family members earlier confirmed to KTRK that Ezra attended the high-octane concert at NRG Park with his father, Treston Blount. At one point he even rode on his father’s shoulders in order to stay above the surging crowd. As the scene became more chaotic, however, Ezra’s father lost consciousness and fell, causing the child to fall and be trampled in the crowd, the TV station reported.
Ezra’s family filed suit on Nov. 8 against Scoremore Management, Live Nation Entertainment, Travis Scott, Cactus Jack Records and others, alleging negligence.
Blount’s passing brings the death toll linked to the fatal crowd surge to 10.
The dead, who ranged in age from 9 to 27, hailed from Texas, Illinois and Washington and included high schoolers, an aspiring Border Patrol agent and a computer science student.
Bharti Shahani, a 22-year-old Texas A&M senior studying computer programming, died Wednesday, five days after some 50,000 people rushed the festival’s main stage as event founder Travis Scott performed.
Family members told KTRK the day before her death that doctors said Shahani, who suffered multiple heart attacks and was placed on a ventilator, had shown no signs of brain activity since being injured.
Harris County authorities confirmed Nov. 8 that the following eight people died either in the stampede or shortly thereafter:
Astroworld aftermath Stacey Sarmiento places flowers at a memorial in Houston on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021 in memory of her friend, Rudy Pena, who died in a crush of people at the Astroworld music festival on Friday. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Visitors cast shadows at a memorial to the victims of the Astroworld concert in Houston on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Stacey Sarmiento holds a photo up of her posing with her friend, Rudy Pena, who died in a crush of people at the Astroworld music festival in Houston. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath A man cries at a memorial for the victims of the Astroworld music festival in Houston on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Two people who knew an unidentified victim of a fatal incident at the Houston Astroworld concert embrace at a memorial on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath A man places a candle at a memorial in Houston for the victims of the Astroworld music festival on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Flowers lie against the south fence surrounding the Astroworld festival grounds the day after several people died and scores were injured during a concert the night before at NRG Park, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Festival goers are seen rushing into the VIP area prior to Travis Scott performing during day one of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Scott was performing. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP) (Amy Harris/Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Astroworld aftermath A pedestrian cross Main Street in front of a sign announcing the cancellation of Astroworld on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival while Travis Scott was performing Friday night. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Festival attendants, from left, Brandon Beauval, Joshua Robinson, Andrew Diaz and Billy Nasser talk about their experiences after several people died and scores were injured during the music festival the night before, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Still wearing his concert wristband, festival attendant Joshua Robinson recounts his experiences after several people died and scores were injured during a music festival the night before, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Flowers lie against the south fence surrounding the Astroworld festival grounds as festival attendants, from left, Andrew Diaz, Brandon Beauval, Joshua Robinson and Billy Nasser walk by the day after several people died and scores were injured during a concert the night before at NRG Park, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña speaks during a news conference, as Mayor Sylvester Turner stands at left, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston, after several people died and scores were injured during a music festival the night before. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Houston County Judge Lina Hidalgo, center, flanked by Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, left, and U.S. Rep. Al Green, right, speaks during a news conference, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston, after several people died and scores were injured during a music festival the night before. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Houston Police Chief Troy Finner speaks during a news conference, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston, after several people died and scores were injured during a music festival the night before. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner speaks during a news conference, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston, after several people died and scores were injured during a music festival the night before. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) (Michael Wyke/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Edgar Acosta, the father of Houston concert victim Axel Acosta Avila, speaks at a news conference with an attorney in Houston on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath A memorial is seen outside Heights High School, where Brianna Rodriguez attended, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Houston. Rodriguez died from injuries sustained during a stampede at the Astroworld music festival days earlier. (AP Photo/Jamie Stengle) (Jamie Stengle/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Joel Acosta, brother of Axel Acosta, looks into the camera at a news conference with a family attorney in Houston on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Acosta's brother was killed at a concert in Houston on Nov. 5. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)
Astroworld aftermath Attorney Tony Buzbee speaks to reporters at a news conference on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Buzbee is representing the family of Axel Acosta Avila who was killed at a concert in Houston. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) (Robert Bumsted/AP)