Astroworld tragedy: Victims identified in deadly Houston music festival

In the wake the tragedy at the Travis Scott concert, Houston, Texas, the 2021 Astroworld Festival has left its families to speak out.

Scott, whose real name was Jacques Bermon Webster and he was performing at the music fest he founded, when the crowd reportedly surged, resulting to eight deaths and more injury. Since then, he has been criticized for his decision not to stop the show while first responders tried to help the injured. He was named by victims and Astroworld 2021 attendees in three separate lawsuits. 

Although he previously claimed that he didn’t know the severity of the situation in crowd, many continue to point fingers at the rapper for the incident. 

The list of names of the deceased and their ages speaks volumes about Scott’s reach. However, it also serves as a warning sign about how dangerous large crowds can become when rowdiness overwhelms the audience.

Several families affected by the concert are now speaking out, just days after it happened. 

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Ezra Blount

The mayor of Houston Twitter users took to Twitter late on Sunday to mourn the loss of a 9-year old boy who sustained serious injuries while attending the Astroworld festival earlier in the month.

Ezra Blount, who lived in Dallas, had been placed in a medically induced coma after suffering severe damage to vital organs after he was “kicked, stepped on, and trampled” during a crowd surge on Nov. 5,  according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of his family. Ben Crump, the family’s lawyer, said the boy died on Sunday at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

Ben Crump, the attorney for the family, stated that the family is currently grieving the devastating loss. 

Crump’s statement states that the Blount family is mourning the unimaginable loss of their young son. “This shouldn’t have happened when they took their son to a concert. It should have been a joyful celebration. Ezra’s death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are determined to find justice and answers for the Blount family. Tonight, we stand in solidarity and prayer with the family in their grief.

The child incurred severe damage to his brain, kidney, and liver after being “kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death,” according to a lawsuit his family has filed against Scott and the event’s organizer, Live Nation. The Blount family seeks at least $1million in damages.

Bharti Shahani

Attorney James Lassiter stated that Bharti Shahani died Wednesday night during a news conference.

Shahani, a high-achieving Texas A&M student, had been hospitalized since being critically injured at the concert.

Bharti’s relatives described her as diligent in her electronics systems engineering studies and someone who always thought of others — including that she had signed up to donate her organs when she died.

Namrata Shahani, Namrata Shahani’s sister, stated that Astroworld was supposed be a rare escape.

Namrata stated that Namrata had just wanted to have fun for the first time in her entire life.

Namrata said her sister’s last words to her were, “Are you OK?”

Mohit Bellani was also there. According to him, Shahani suffered two heart attacks on her way to the hospital. “Bharti is the glue of the family. He said that she was the glue of the family.

Franco Patino

Franco Patino (21-year-old University of Dayton Student) was among the eight victims of the concert, the Dayton Daily News reported. It cited a campus email.

According to the paper, Patino was from Naperville in Illinois and was majoring in mechanical engineering technology. He also had a minor in human motion biomechanics.

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Speaking to People, Franco’s brother, Julio, described what a “big heart” his little brother had and noted that he was the type to always go above and beyond for other people. His brother said that Franco was thrilled to be working at a co-op in biomedical engineering, helping to develop a product to prevent blood clots in his heart. 

He described his brother’s interests as being normal, with a love of sports and video games, and a fondness for good food. Julio noted he was in attendance at the Travis Scott concert to celebrate his best friend Jacob Jurinek’s 21st birthday. Jurinek is also among the eight deceased. 

Unfortunately, Julio was able to watch his little brother’s final moments unfold on social media.

“First I saw his friend pass away… and then I noticed he was passing out.” Julio explained that he found a video of someone giving CPR to my brother, and then he passed out. “That one broke mine. That’s all that I saw. And the moment of fear in all people’s eyes and just him just passed.

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He said, “I am so angry at the way they handled everything there. It was the sheer number of people and lack of control. They were doing everything, even though people were passing out, and they just kept going. They would stop once or twice, but then they would continue instead of stopping.

Julio also stated that he felt officials should have stopped the show immediately they realized what was happening. 

Mirza Danish Baig

Mirza Danish Baig was also one of the victims. He reportedly died at the Astroworld Festival while trying to save his fiancée, Olivia Swingle.

Danish’s brother Ammar Baig said that his sibling, aged 27, was able to transport the ambulance to her location. “The ambulance managed somehow to get to her, and then, by time they got to my brother’s, they tried to resuscitate him. They said that he couldn’t make it to the hospital before they arrived.

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Basil, their younger brother, was also present and stated to the outlet that Olivia was being beaten by the crowd. Mirza was prompted to take action.

“People started hitting them, people started hitting his fiancée, started [doing]There were many things that she needed. She was bruised and he was trying save her,” he explained. He added, “And there was no one there to help him.”

Baig said Mirza was a person with a big heart and would do everything to take care of everyone.

“We just want prayers for him,” Baig said of the middle child of five siblings while on his way to Mirza’s funeral. “He was funny, goofy, outgoing. While each of our brothers and sisters has their own personalities, he was the glue that held them all together.

Rudy Peña

The 23-year-old had a full life ahead of him, and the criminal justice major and rehab clinic medical assistant’s brother-in-law Sergio Gonzalez told People magazine that he and his wife are demanding answers to how Peña ended up being one of eight victims in the Astroworld Festival tragedy.

“He was a young man with a clean record. He was well-mannered and enjoyed sports. Of his five siblings, he was the most calm,” Gonzalez, who said their family found out about Peña’s death “in the worst way,”  shared. “We learned about Pena’s death from Rudy’s friend around 12:30 last night. He had just fallen asleep.” We found out about his death only this afternoon.

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Peña’s mother was “distraught” when she learned of her son’s death. 

According to Gonzalez, Peña played football in high school and described him as “the calmest” and “most playful” among the siblings. Gonzalez said that Pena was also “the sweetest among everyone.” 

Peña “was the most spoiled, since he was the youngest,” Gonzales recalled of his brother-in-law. “[He]His friends were always there to support him. Gonzalez said, “I’ve been with him since before he was born, it hurts so deeply.”

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“We’re so angry. He said, “There are so many concerts and they’re always fantastic, but you never think that there’ll ever be a tragedy.” “You don’t ever go to a concert expecting to die. You pay for your ticket, go to a concert, have fun and go home — you never think you’ll go through something like this.”

Gonzales added: “I am really mad… Gonzales said, “I am really mad… That’s where I get my anger.”

Jacob Jurinek (Jake) 

Jurinek was a 20-year-old junior at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, where he was “pursuing his passion for art and media,” his family said in a statement Sunday. He was just two weeks shy of his 21st Birthday.

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He was attending the concert with Patino, his friend and former high school football teammate, according to Patino’s father, Julio Patino. He was deeply committed and known as “Big Jake” among his younger cousins.

Ron Jurinek, Jake’s father, will miss him greatly. Jake and Ron became close to Jake after his mother’s death in 2011.

“In the decade since, Jake and Ron were inseparable — attending White Sox and Blackhawks games, sharing their love of professional wrestling, and spending weekends with extended family and friends at Jake’s favorite place, the family cottage in Southwestern Michigan,” the family’s statement said.

Ron Jurinek, his father, said in an email that “We are all devastated” and that it had left a large hole in their lives.

John Hilgert

The youngest victim, 14-year-old Hilgert, was at the concert with classmate Robby Hendrix, whose mother, Tracy Faulkner, spoke with the Houston Chronicle. The boys hoped to be able to see the show from a good location.

Faulkner stated to the newspaper that “everything about that evening was a tragedy.” “John was a good student, an athlete, and so polite. He was the sweetest and most intelligent young man.

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Madison Dubiski

According to a Houston Chronicle former classmate, the Houston native was just 23 years old and was a cheerleader in high school. He also joined a community service group called The National Charity League.

Lauren Vogler said that she was “definitely the life of the party” and was loved by so many people.

Claudia Sierra, a family friend, shared with the Chronicle that Dubiski was her mom’s best friend and that she loved watching her brother play sport.

Brianna Rodriguez

Her family shared the story with People magazine that the Heights High School student, who was only 16 years old, “loved dancing.”

Pink ribbons and balloons were adorned the fence at her high school. It spells out “Bri.”

“Brianna performed with the band, and was someone who could make anyone smile,” Heights High School band stated in a tweet.

Her high school dance team recalled her in an Instagram photo, saying that she was there for three year, served as the junior Social Officer and “never failed put a smile on anyone’s face.”

“She was a great friend, teammate and dancer, sister, daughter, leader, and sister. Bulldogs are deeply saddened by her passing and will remember her in all ways possible. We love you Brianna,” the team said in the post.

Axel Acosta Avila

Avila, 21 years old, was a computer science major from Western Washington University. Edgar Acosta his father said that his son was among those who died at the festival.

Bellingham University released a statement on Sunday saying that Axel “was a young man with bright future.” We send our condolences for his family on this very sad date.

This report was compiled by the Associated Press.