Astroworld Festival victims died from ‘compression asphyxia,’ medical examiner says

(CNN) — The 10 Astroworld Festival victims died from “compression asphyxia” successful what was determined to beryllium an accident, the aesculapian examiner said Thursday.

The euphony lawsuit connected Nov. 5 successful Houston turned deadly aft the packed assemblage surged toward an outdoor signifier wherever headliner Travis Scott was performing.

Those killed were identified arsenic Danish Baig, Rodolfo Peña, Madison Dubiski, Franco Patino, Jacob Jurinek, John Hilgert, Axel Acosta Avila, Brianna Rodriguez, Bharti Shahani, and Ezra Blount.

“Combined toxic effects of cocaine, methamphetamine and ethanol,” was deemed a contributing origin successful Baig’s death, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, which said it would not beryllium releasing immoderate much accusation astatine this time.

They were ‘crushed and killed’

Attorneys representing immoderate of the victims’ families said the study confirmed what they already knew.

“Axel was crushed and killed that nighttime by the crowd, done nary responsibility of his own. It is besides important to enactment that Axel’s humor contained perfectly nary intoxicants oregon different similar substances,” said Tony Buzbee, the lawyer for the Acosta family.

Acosta was a inferior astatine Western Washington University and attended the performance alone.

“Jake and Franco were healthy, intelligent young men who didn’t merit to dice successful specified an unspeakable way. Now they cognize Jake and Franco were crushed to death,” said Philip Corboy, Jr., the lawyer representing the Jacob Jurinek and Franco Patino families.

“The lone decision to beryllium drawn from the aesculapian examiner’s findings is that Travis Scott, Live Nation, and the different defendants created a horrific decease trap and are liable for Jake and Franco’s deaths,” helium added.

Ezra Blount, 9, was the youngest victim. “The devastation of this quality speaks for itself,” said Robert Hilliard, the Blount household attorney.

The lawyer representing Bharti Shahani’s household said the findings corroborate that she suffered a “horrific death.”

“Their beloved daughter’s past surviving moments were surely marked with suffering, panic, and terror. It’s a horrific, inescapable representation that nary genitor should person to endure,” Jason Lassiter said successful a statement.

Live Nation and ScoreMore contradict negligence allegations

More than 340 lawsuits person been filed successful Harris County related to the tragedy. And determination is an ongoing transgression probe that is being led by the Houston Police Department. Most of the lawsuits allege that the defendants were negligent and stood to marque ample sums of wealth from the concert.

But respective entities of amusement institution Live Nation and ScoreMore, the performance promoter, person denied the allegations, according to tribunal documents filed by the companies’ attorneys.

“Defendants contradict each of the allegations contained successful Plaintiffs’ Petition and request strict impervious from Plaintiffs by a preponderance of the evidence,” states the tribunal document.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Live Nation and ScoreMore issued a connection stating their full squad was “mourning alongside the community” and cooperating with authorities.

Scott has also denied ineligible liability.

Seven of the 10 victims’ families had declined the musician’s connection to wage for funeral costs.