Rap star Travis Scott’s offer to pay for the funeral expenses of 9-year-old Astroworld Festival victim, Ezra Blount, has been denied by the victim’s family. Blount’s family announced their decision via a letter written by family lawyer Bob Hilliard, which also confirmed their intent to hold Scott culpable for his perceived role in Blount’s death, in spite of his condolences.
“Your client’s offer is declined,” Hilliard wrote in the letter, which was addressed to Scott’s recently hired attorney, Daniel Petrocelli. “I have no doubt Mr. Scott feels remorse. His journey ahead will be painful. He must face and hopefully see that he bears some of the responsibility for this tragedy.”
The letter also rejected a proposed meeting between Scott and Blount’s family, which was deemed a “photo-op” on the part of Scott. “There may be, and I hope there is, redemption and growth for him on the other side of what this painful process will be — and perhaps one day, once time allows some healing for the victims and acceptance of responsibility by Mr. Scott and others, Treston and Mr. Scott might meet, as there is also healing in that.”
Hilliard continued to convey the mourning and emotional distress endured by the Blount family in the letter, comparing their grief to “a faucet of unimaginable pain that has no off handle.” “To lose a child in the manner Treston lost Ezra compounds the pain,” he wrote. “As a parent, Treston cannot help but agonize over the terrible idea that Ezra’s last minutes were filled with terror, suffering, suffocation and worst of all surrounded by strangers, his dad unconscious underneath the uncontrolled crowd.”
Blount, who attended the Astroworld Festival in Houston with his father, was hospitalized after being trampled during a “mass casualty” crowd rush that occurred during Scott’s headlining performance. After falling into a medically-induced coma on Nov. 14, Blount ultimately passed away as a result of irreversible organ failure. Blount’s funeral took place in Texas on Nov. 23, one day prior to Petrocelli sending Scott’s offer to cover Blount’s funeral expenses to Hilliard and co-counsel Ben Crump.
“Travis is devastated by the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld Festival and grieves for the families whose loved ones died or were injured,” Petrocelli wrote in the letter. “Travis is committed to doing his part to help the families who have suffered and begin the long process of healing in the Houston community. Toward that end, Travis would like to pay for the funeral expenses for Mr. Blount’s son.”
Travis Scott’s attempts to make amends amid the fallout from the Astroworld Festival have not stopped the flow of lawsuits against the 30-year-old from continuing to pile up. He is currently facing more than 120 lawsuits filed by various victims injured during the crowd rush and the families of victims believed to have died as a result of injuries sustained at the festival. In addition to Scott, Live Nation, Apple, and NRG Stadium are also included in the lawsuits, which amount to over $3 billion in damages.