A grand jury in Texas decided not to indict rapper Travis Scott for a fatal crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival almost two years ago.
The jury convened on Thursday as part of a criminal investigation into Scott and others involved in the concert's planning, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people.
The decision is "a great relief," according to Scott's attorney Kent Schaffer.
Numerous civil lawsuits related to the rapper's Houston performance are still pending.
Scott, one of the most well-known figures in rap music, and concert promoters Live Nation introduced Astroworld in 2018.
At the 5 November 2021 event, when the crowd was overflowing and pressing up against the stage for Scott's headlining performance, panic broke out, resulting in thousands of injuries.
By compressive asphyxiation, ten people died, ranging in age from nine to 27.
The rapper claimed that he was "distraught" by the tragedy but that he was unaware of its full scope until he left the stage.
In spite of reports of "lifeless bodies being passed through the crowd in full view of the stage," critics have charged him and fellow rapper Drake with continuing to perform. Scott should have ended the show much earlier, according to Houston's fire chief at the time.
Whether Scott, festival promoter Live Nation, and other event participants put in place sufficient safety measures is being looked into by both federal investigators and Houston police.
In a statement, Scott's lawyer, Mr. Schaffer, confirmed that the jury had convened but decided against charging his client. He added that he was unaware of the charges that had been considered.
He never pushed people to take actions that would harm other people, according to Mr. Schaffer.
Mr. Schaffer continued, "Travis is not to blame, even though I feel bad for those who were hurt by the crowd surge. It won't make their suffering any better to charge him with a crime. ".
Multiple victims have continued to file lawsuits in Texas state courts.
Although the terms of the agreement have not been made public, the family of one victim reached a settlement with Scott, Live Nation, and others in October 2022.
In order to ensure that those responsible for the loss of innocent lives comprehend the long-term destruction they caused these families, Robert Hilliard, the attorney for the family of another victim, stated on Thursday that "both criminal and civil accountability are critical."
