Astroworld attendee, 22, left brain dead after crowd surge disaster
11 November 2021, 11:49 | Updated: 11 November 2021, 13:22
Travis Scott makes statement after tragic deaths at Astroworld Festival
Victim Bharti Shahani has been declared brain dead after being critically injured at the festival last Friday
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Trigger warning: This article contains sensitive material surrounding injury and death
22-year-old Bharti Shahani has been declared brain dead after the stampede at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival on Friday which left eight people dead.
According to TMZ, the A&M University student – who was studying electronic systems engineering technology has been fighting for her life after being injured. Her family has learned that she has no brain activity after being pushed and stomped on in the crowd.
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Bharti Shahani attended Astroworld Fest alongside her cousin Mohit Bellani and sister Namrata on the first night of the annual festival in Houston, Texas.
During the crowd crush, Bharti's cousin and sister escape uninjured and unable to find her or contact her due to them losing their phones.
After the festival ended, they were able to locate her after she’d been admitted to the Houston Methodist Hospital.
According to reports, she has suffered multiple heart attacks since being trampled, and her brain stem was severely swollen.
“The doctors say the chances of survival are nothing, which I have not even spoken to my wife until now. We keep saying our prays” says her father Sunny Shahani.
“I request all of Houston to pray for her. Maybe the prayers might work as a miracle for her.”
Since the incident, her sister Namrata has launched a GoFundMe to help cover mounting expenses.
“We greatly appreciate any donations and ask that everyone keep Bharti and our family in their prayers during this difficult time,” she wrote in the fundraiser’s description.
Yesterday, it was confirmed that 9-year-old attendee Ezra Blount has been left in a medically induced coma. Travis Scott, Astroworld organizer ScoreMore, Live Nation and Drake have all been named in several lawsuits following the tragic incident on Friday at Astroworld Festival.
More than 50,000 people attended the sold-out festival were reports of thousands of people without tickets jumping fences and turn styles and avoiding metal detectors.
This resulted in audiences compressing towards the front of the stage, causing shortness of breath, cardiac arrest and several injuries. A statement from one of the attendees states "the crowd begun to surge towards the front of the stage when Drake came on stage, leading to instant chaos".
— TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) November 6, 2021
Both Travis Scott and Drake have released statements speaking on the tragedy at Astroworld Festival.
Posting a emotional video on Saturday night addressing the tragedy, the lives lost at the festivals and criticism that he refused to stop the show Travis said:
"Anytime I could make out, you know, anything that’s going on, you know, I stop the show and, you know, help them get the help they need".
He added that 'he’s working with authorities to try to get to the bottom of this' stating “I’m honestly just devastated, and I could never imagine anything like this happening. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival".
Drake took to Instagram to share his first statement saying:
"I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy".
He continues: "I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself. My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering".
"I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can, May God be with you all".
Travis has since commented that all tickets from Astroworld 2021 will be refunded and his plans to cover funeral costs for those who died at the festival.
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