Nine-year-old succumbs; death toll from US concert stampede rises to 10

File Picture

An attorney for the family of a 9-year-old boy who was trampled at a Travis Scott concert in Houston and was on life support for a week said that the child had died from his injuries.

The death of Ezra Blount brought the total number of those killed during a stampede at last week's Astroworld Festival to 10, ranging in age from 9 to 27.

The deaths took place when the Grammy Award-nominated rapper Scott appeared before a crowd of 50,000 at NRG Stadium. The scene grew out of control as fans surged toward the stage.

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

Crump has said that any one of several concert officials could have prevented deaths and injuries by stopping the show and turning on the house lights when the chaos in the crowd became apparent.

Crump and other attorneys for those hurt at the festival have filed scores of lawsuits against Scott and the organisers, alleging negligence in crowd control, failure to provide proper medical attention and a lack of emergency preparations, among other issues.

Scott on Thursday asked victims and their families to reach out to him, saying he "desperately wishes to share his condolences and provide aid," according to a statement. The rapper earlier offered to pay for funeral costs and mental health counseling.

More from International news

  • Israeli attacks on Gaza killed 60 people in 24 hours

    Israeli occupation forces committed multiple massacres against families in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, resulting in the killing of at least 60 Palestinians and the injury of 162 others, according to medical reports.

  • Trump fires National Security Agency director

    U.S. President Donald Trump fired General Timothy Haugh as director of the National Security Agency on Thursday, according to two officials familiar with the decision, and congressional Democrats denounced the removal of the nonpartisan official from a top security post.

  • Israel steps up Syria strikes, says Turkey aims for 'protectorate'

    Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new rulers in Damascus as it accused their ally Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.

  • US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden delayed

    The Trump administration moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 US-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters, pushing ahead with a sale that the administration of former president Joe Biden had delayed.

News

  • UAE shines in global competitiveness rankings for 2025

    The UAE has maintained its rising performance in the global competitiveness race during the first quarter of 2025 by achieving advanced positions in many relevant international and regional indicators and reports.

  • UAE President marks Senegal independence day

    President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal on the occasion of his country's Independence Day.

  • UAE expands cancer prevention plan

    The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases through a proactive national strategy.