{"id":143991,"date":"2021-11-08T09:28:10","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T09:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=143991"},"modified":"2021-11-08T09:28:10","modified_gmt":"2021-11-08T09:28:10","slug":"student-21-among-astroworld-festival-victims-including-boy-14-27-year-old-who-gave-life-to-save-relative-dancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/world-news\/student-21-among-astroworld-festival-victims-including-boy-14-27-year-old-who-gave-life-to-save-relative-dancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Student, 21, among Astroworld Festival victims including boy, 14, 27-year-old who gave life to save relative & dancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

A STUDENT who traveled to the Astroworld Festival alone was among at least eight people that were killed in the stampede. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Axel Acosta, 21, died at the concert in Houston, Texas on Friday when the 50,000-strong crowd surged as rapper Travis Scott took to the stage.<\/p>\n


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Cynthia Acosta, the student\u2019s aunt, said he had traveled to Houston from Washington alone to see the rapper.<\/p>\n

She told KTRK: \u201cIt was his first time going to an event like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Axel, of Yakima County, was named as one of the victims by his dad Edgar Acosta – hours after cops released a photo of the 21-year-old as they asked for information.<\/p>\n

Edgar became worried as his son didn\u2019t return to his hotel room after the concert.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old was studying computer science at Western Washington University.<\/p>\n

Melynda Huskey, the university\u2019s vice-president of enrolment and student services, told KRTK: \u201cBy all accounts, Axel was a young man with a vibrant future. We are sending our condolences to his family on this very sad day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Axel\u2019s body has not been positively identified by coroners even though he has been named as one of the victims by his dad.<\/p>\n

So far, seven of the eight victims have been identified by family members.<\/p>\n

Read our Travis Scott Astroworld Festival live blog for the very latest news and updates…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The youngest victim has been positively identified as 14-year-old schoolboy John Hilgert.<\/p>\n

Keen baseball player John was a freshman at Houston's Memorial High School.<\/p>\n

The school\u2019s principal Lisa Weir said in a letter to parents: \u201cOur hearts go out to the student\u2019s family and to his friends and our staff at Memorial. This is a terrible loss, and the entire MHS family is grieving today.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease keep the student's family in your thoughts and prayers as they face this tragedy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will make counselors available to students next week to offer any help and support needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

John told his classmate Robby Hendrix, 15, on Friday that he wanted to get to the event early so he could get a good spot, the Houston Chronicle reports.<\/p>\n

Hendrix's mom Tracy Faulkner told the outlet: \u201cEverything about that night was a tragedy. John was a good student and athlete and so polite. He was the sweetest and smartest young man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were both in the same place at the same time and one came home and one we will never see,\u201d Faulkner said.<\/p>\n

John's baseball coach Justin Higgs also paid a tribute on Instagram.<\/p>\n

He wrote: \u201cRIP John Hilgert. He got the Call up to the Major Leagues by the Almighty! John made an impact on anyone who met him and they always remembered him. I have memories of John I\u2019ll never forget.\u00a0<\/p>\n

'AN ANGEL'<\/h2>\n

\u201cYou had to love the kid. No option not to cause he was who he was. He loved the game of baseball. Was a privilege to coach this young man. Many prayers go out to any of his friends, teammates, and his family\u2026 especially Ms. Hilgert.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the nicest human beings I\u2019ve ever met. John was an Angel the whole time I knew him\u2026 impacting others for good and he himself was a legend. The legend of John. Will meet again John. Till then watch over us my friend. Catcher, pitcher, shortstop, great kid. Lived his life to the fullest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Student Franco Pati\u00f1o, 21, Danish Baig, 27, Brianna Rodriguez, 16, Jacob Jurinek, and Rudy Pe\u00f1a, 23, are also among the victims.<\/p>\n

Danish's brother described him as a "beautiful soul", and revealed he died trying to save his sister-in-law. <\/p>\n

Basil Baid, who was also at the festival, said the event had been "managed poorly", and described people "pushing and shoving" in the chaos.<\/p>\n

He\u00a0wrote on Facebook: \u201cMy brother tried to save my sister-in-law from these horrendous acts that were being done to her in the process he lost his life.<\/p>\n

"I am lost of words and in true trauma from this event. I was there and I wasn't able to save my brother. People were hitting pushing and shoving."<\/p>\n

Basil also said his brother's smile \u201cwould light up the room and that he put everyone before himself.<\/p>\n

University of Dayton student Franco also lost his life at the concert,\u00a0according to The Dayton Daily News.<\/p>\n

'HE'D LIGHT UP A ROOM'<\/h2>\n

The Illinois native was a member of Alpha Psi Lambda, a Hispanic interest fraternity, and he worked in an engineering co-op program, school officials reportedly said.<\/p>\n

Houston schoolgirl, Brianna Rodriguez, 16, also perished in the disaster, according to People Magazine.<\/p>\n

\u201cGone from our sites [sic], but never from our hearts,\u201d her family\u00a0wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is with profound sadness we lay to rest our beloved Brianna Rodriguez \u2026 Dancing was her passion and now she\u2019s dancing her way to heaven\u2019s pearly gates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her aunt Iris Rodriguez said the teen's mom and dad are "devastated" by the tragedy and cannot believe they have lost their "princess". <\/p>\n

She told The Sun: "We don't know exactly what happened, what caused her death. We are waiting for the autopsy results.<\/p>\n

"My sister-in-law had received a phone call that she was being taken to the hospital because she was not breathing.<\/p>\n

"She said Brianna had gained her wings, I just remember screaming and I blacked out."<\/p>\n

TRAGIC LOSS<\/h2>\n

Rudy Pe\u00f1a, from Laredo, was also among the victims,\u00a0The Laredo Morning Times reported.<\/p>\n

His sister Jennifer told the outlet: \u201cMy brother was the sweetest person, friendly, outgoing, he had many friends because he was always there for everyone."<\/p>\n

The age of the eighth victim remains unknown. Scott has since spoken out since the tragedy.<\/p>\n

In videos posted to Instagram on Saturday, the artist was overcome with emotion as he gave a statement about his actions during the tragic first night of the Astroworld Festival.<\/p>\n

He said: "My fans really mean the world to me and I always wanna leave them with a positive experience and anytime I can make out anything that\u2019s going on, I stop the show and help them get the help they need, you know?"<\/p>\n

The rapper, whose real name is\u00a0Jacques Bermon Webster II\u00a0added that he is working with the proper authorities and is asking fans from the event to do the same.<\/p>\n

He said: "If you have any information, please just contact your local authorities. Everyone continue to just keep your prayers."<\/p>\n

Kourtney Kardashian has since been branded as \u201ctone deaf\u201d for promoting her company Pooch after the concert tragedy.<\/p>\n

She shared an ad about her company, which showed her in lingerie with black globes and holding a drink.<\/p>\n

The words, "Your Poosh-Approved Christmas List," were written over the snap.<\/p>\n

One person wrote on Reddit: "God, maybe take a break from posting your vapid c**p for a day, Kourtney? You know, in light of what YOUR FAMILY is connected to?<\/p>\n

"Edit: she's not responsible duh but this is tone-deaf as f**k."<\/p>\n

And, Kris Jenner was ripped as \u201ctwisted\u201d as she shared various photos of her birthday flowers amid the tragedy.<\/p>\n


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