Nike postpones Travis Scott sneaker launch amid Astroworld tragedy
Nike has delayed the launch of Travis Scott’s Air Max 1 x Cactus Jack sneakers after 10 people died and nearly 300 others were injured during the chaos at his Astroworld Music Festival earlier this month.
"Out of respect for everyone impacted by the tragic events at the Astroworld Festival, we are postponing the launch of the Air Max 1 x Cactus Jack," the company posted on its website.
According to Forbes, the shoes were supposed to be released on Dec. 16. A new release date has not been given.
RELATED: Astroworld death toll climbs to 10 after hospitalized 9-year-old passes away
City officials are investigating what caused the deadly crowd surge at the sold-out event on Nov. 5 that was attended by about 50,000 fans. Scott, a rapper known for his high-energy concerts, has said he would cover funeral costs for the victims.
Nine-year-old Ezra Blount, of Dallas, died in the hospital days later. Treston Blount, Ezra’s father, described what happened in a post on a GoFundMe page that he set up to help defray Ezra’s medical expenses. He said Ezra was sitting on his shoulders when a crowd surge crushed them. The father lost consciousness and when he came to, Ezra was missing, Blount said. A frantic search ensued until Ezra was eventually found at the hospital, severely injured.
The child incurred severe damage to his brain, kidney, and liver after being "kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death," according to a lawsuit his family has filed against Scott and the event’s organizer, Live Nation. The Blount family is seeking at least $1 million in damages.
RELATED: Cellphone video may show young Astroworld victim having fun before the night turned deadly
In a tweet, Scott said he was "absolutely devastated by what took place." He pledged to work "together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need."
According to FOX News, personal injury attorney Ben Crump has announced a lawsuit on behalf of more than 100 victims.
Several legal experts told The Associated Press that Scott’s past incitement of concertgoers offers a history that could make it easier to pursue negligence claims against companies that planned and managed the show, which killed eight people and left hundreds injured. And although the investigations have just begun, experts expect dozens of additional lawsuits seeking damages that could climb into hundreds of millions of dollars.
Calls for an independent investigation into what led to 10 deaths at the Astroworld music festival went unheeded Monday, as Houston-area officials instead chose to direct a county administrator to conduct a review with other governmental entities. The Harris County administrator will work with other city and county entities to review security, fire and other safety plans at the county-owned NRG Park, where the festival was held.
Houston police are conducting a separate criminal investigation into what happened at the festival. No one has been charged.
The police department, along with the city fire department, played key roles in crowd control and other safety measures at the show. Experts in crowd safety said an investigation by neutral outsiders into the tragedy could help avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency.
Police have said they are reviewing surveillance video provided by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips of the show shared on social media. Investigators also planned to speak with Live Nation representatives, Scott and concertgoers.
A 56-page event operations plan for the Astroworld music festival included protocols for dangerous scenarios including an active shooter, bomb or terrorist threats, and severe weather. But it did not include information on what to do in the event of a crowd surge.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.