A settlement agreement with the family of Axel Acosta, a 21-year-old Washington man who was killed during the 2021 Astroworld Festival, has been reached.
“Lead counsel Tony Buzbee and The Buzbee Law Firm announced today that the claims brought by the family of Axel Acosta against Travis Scott, Live Nation, and others involved in the Astroworld tragedy have settled,” the family’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, confirmed to Complex. “The terms are confidential. Victim Axel Acosta was a beloved son, brother, and student. He was kind and loving. He is greatly missed. Please keep his family in your prayers.”
A source close to Travis Scott said that “no member of Travis’ team has participated in any Astroworld settlement discussions.”
Acosta’s family was among the hundreds of plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit over the deadly events on Nov. 5 at Houston’s NRG Park, where more than 50,000 people had gathered for Scott’s annual music event. Police say chaos ensued as the 31-year-old rapper took the stage for his headlining performance, causing a massive surge crowd that left concert-goers trampled and unable to breathe. Buzbee said Acosta was caught up in the crowd and died from compressive asphyxiation.
The man’s family sued Scott and event organizers over the incident, which left 10 people dead and dozens injured. One of the victims was Brianna Rodriguez, a 16-year-old Houston Heights girl who died after falling to the ground amid the chaos.
“I’m holding her the whole time but we fell back and we landed on our backs on the bottom of the pile,” Rodriguez’s friend Xavier Neal told ABC 13. “She’s telling me about how she can’t breathe and I’m letting her know I’m here. Like, ‘I’m here, just breathe.’ But I’m down there, I’m trying to breathe myself. I’m listening to her until I can’t hear anymore.”
The Houston Chronicle reports the girl’s family also reached a settlement with defendants; however, just like the Acosta suit, the details of the deal have not been revealed. The agreements are believed to be some of the first settlements between victims’ families and the defendants, according to ABC13 Houston.
