New Documentary Explores Astroworld Tragedy and Safety Failures

HOUSTON, Texas — A new Netflix documentary, “Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy,” delves into the deadly crowd crush at the Astroworld Festival in November 2021, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people and injuries to hundreds more during rapper Travis Scott‘s set.

Directed by Yemi Bamiro and Hannah Poulter, the film highlights the alleged failures in planning and crowd management that led to this catastrophic event. Interviews with concertgoers, festival staff, and families of victims reveal a disturbing account of the night.

Astroworld organizers faced heavy scrutiny after the Houston Police Department released a comprehensive report in 2023. While a grand jury did not indict Scott, Live Nation, or other organizers on criminal charges, several wrongful death lawsuits are still pending.

The documentary features crowd safety expert Scott Davidson, who was called in to analyze the disaster. “Astroworld 2021 was not an accident. It was an inevitability due to a lack of foresight and the abandonment of basic safety protocols,” he comments in the film.

Footage from the festival shows attendees rushing through entrances and overwhelming security personnel. Mark Lentini, a former Houston Police Department commander, recalls how the chaos was predictable but lacked proper contingency plans. “What was going on was so totally predictable,” he states.

Jackson Bush, a security worker at the event, claims he received little training and was warned by colleagues about the potential for gate rushing. “The only instructions we had were from other workers,” he explains.

This chaos distracted police and security, allowing unticketed individuals to infiltrate the festival grounds. Fans shared concerns that this kind of behavior is often part of Scott’s performances, which sometimes encourage crowd surging.

Kirby Gladstein, a festival photographer, mentions being instructed to showcase the fans and chaos in promotional material. Davidson asserts that the festival sold 50,000 tickets without ensuring that the venue could accommodate that many safely.

According to Davidson, Scott’s stage had only enough capacity for approximately 35,000 people, leading to severe crowd compression. He argues poor signage and planning exacerbated the situation, contributing to the tragic outcomes.

As the crowd crush unfolded, several eyewitnesses described feeling unable to breathe or move. Medical examiners concluded that all 10 deaths were due to asphyxiation, with each victim positioned on the left side of the stage.

Davidson reveals that some Live Nation representatives were aware of the escalating situation but chose to allow the concert to continue. He notes that decisions to stop the show were limited to only two people, deviating from standard safety protocols.

Despite warnings from law enforcement about potential casualties, the concert continued for more than 12 minutes after the situation had escalated. Live Nation later stated that the festival operated within approved crowd capacity, which remains challenged by Davidson’s findings.

“These people did not die from a needle in their neck,” states a concertgoer in the documentary, rejecting conspiracy theories surrounding drug-related incidents. The film serves as a call for recognition of the root causes attributed to poor planning and response.

While the documentary presents harrowing footage of the tragedy, it also highlights the resilience of individuals who helped others during the disaster. “Hopefully, we’re friends forever,” says Arturo, a concertgoer who was saved by Sophia, a newly licensed nurse. Their bond remains strong years after the tragedy.