Attorneys Ben Crump and Alex Hilliard announced a series of lawsuits on behalf of the victims of the Astroworld crowd crush that killed at least nine people.
Crump and Hilliard said at a press conference on Friday that they have filed 93 lawsuits so far and are representing over 200 people with over 20 defendants named. Several of the attorneys’ clients detailed their experiences during the concert and the post-traumatic stress they faced following the incident, though none of the people at the press conference experienced significant physical injuries during the event.
“Where were the crowd control personnel there?” Crump asked. “Where were the medical personnel there? It is malfeasance on every level, and that’s why we need to get the answers. We cannot have [a situation] where people go to a concert and die. It’s unacceptable in 2021. It was so preventable.”
TEXAS REPUBLICAN EXPECTS CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO TRAVIS SCOTT ASTROWORLD TRAMPLING
The attorney said the legal effort will “investigate everything and everyone” while targeting Live Nation, the entertainment company that organized the concert, to try to bring about change in the industry. Both Crump and Hilliard made clear they believe Live Nation failed the public by not having an age limit on who could attend, proper escape routes, the necessary medical and public safety personnel, and more.
“We will not leave one ‘i’ undotted or one ‘t’ uncrossed because [the victims] matter,” he said. “We are not going to leave anybody off the hook.”
Following the deadly concert incident, representatives for Live Nation released a statement saying they were heartbroken and plan to work “to provide as much information and assistance as possible to the local authorities as they investigate the situation.”
The lawyers appeared to leave open the possibility of targeting Travis Scott, who performed onstage during the stampede, with their lawsuits, but they emphasized that their focus was on Live Nation.
A spokesperson for Scott, who announced Tuesday he would refund tickets, told CBS News the rapper was not aware of the extent of the tragedy until hours after the concert.
Grammy Award-winning artist Drake is named as a defendant in a Tuesday lawsuit alleging he incited attendees until “the crowd became out of control.”
“My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering. I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can,” Drake posted on Instagram.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Crump and Hilliard said they anticipate it will take months to sort through this case, as they plan to investigate the incident at “every level.” They also encouraged anyone who was affected by the situation to come forward and expressed interest in representing them.
Nine people died from injuries sustained during the lethal incident at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in Houston last Friday when the crowd suddenly began to press forward toward the stage, causing panic, crushing, and trampling. Authorities are investigating whether criminal charges would be appropriate.
