HOUSTON — The family of Axel Acosta, the 21-year-old who loved rap music and traveled from Washington to attend Astroworld Festival in Houston, have settled a lawsuit against Travis Scott, Live Nation, and others involved in the deadly event.
Ten people died in the Astroworld Festival tragedy in November 2021 with the youngest victim being a 9-year-old boy.
Acosta, who was from Tieton, Washington, attended Western Washington University.
Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the Acosta family, released the following statement to KHOU 11 News:
“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 terms are confidential. Victim Axel Acosta was a beloved son, brother, and student. He was kind and loving. He will be greatly missed. Please keep his family in your prayers.”
Axel's father, Edgar, described him as a great kid, an excellent student, and someone who loved his family dearly, especially his grandparents.
"He was trying to study and go to school to be an engineer ... computer programmer ... because he wanted to provide for his family," Edgar said. "He was the first grandkid, he was the oldest one. He always took care of his cousins and nieces.”
Buzbee claims Acosta died from compressive asphyxiation, which is basically extreme compression of the body. Buzbee said it happened due to a phenomenon known as crowd rush and the air was literally squeezed of out his body.
"The immense force of the unruly and out-of-control crowd created by the defendants' gross negligence created such significant pressure on to his body that he could not breathe," Buzbee said during a press conference with Axel's family following the deadly event.
Edgar said it took him and his family some time to find out that Axel was among one of the dead. Edgar said when they heard the news about the tragedy at Astroworld Festival, he immediately called Axel. When he didn't answer, Edgar said he called Axel's hotel and employees said Axel did not spend the night at the hotel Friday night.
“Axel was not the kind of young man that didn’t answer his phone or did not stay in touch with his brother or dad. They knew something was up," Buzbee said.
Edgar said that's when he started calling the police and the reunification center at the hotel near NRG Park, the site of the festival. Edgar said he was told over and over that his son was neither on the list of the injured nor the dead.
Axel's phone was later found in the lost and found collection at the Astroworld Festival site. Edgar said he was calling hospitals, but was still told not to worry because his son's name was not on the list of dead or injured.
It wasn't until a photo started circulating around the internet that Edgar learned his son was dead.
"The way they found out about this is horrific," Buzbee said.
When asked what he wants to accomplish about this lawsuit, Edgar took a long pause and said he wants to make changes to these types of events.
“Today is me. I lost my son. It could have been you.” Edgar said pointing at a reporter.