The fallout of the deadly Astroworld Festival crowd surge is just beginning as the first lawsuits against Travis Scott and festival organizers have been filed.
Eight people were killed and scores wounded on Friday after a massive crowd at the multiday event began pushing toward performer and host Travis Scott. While the causes of death are still being determined, several people were crushed in the chaos, which some allege that Scott and organizers didn’t do enough to stop.
Houston-based Kherkher Garcia, LLP filed a lawsuit against several involved parties, including Scott (born Jacques Webster) and entertainment giant Live Nation. The firm is representing concertgoer Manuel Souza, who “suffered serious bodily injuries” after being trampled at the festival, a tragedy the lawsuit says was “predictable and preventable.”
“As proud residents of Houston, we are sickened by the devastating tragedy that took place on Friday night. Travis Scott has a history of inciting violence and creating dangerous conditions for concertgoers,” the personal injury firm said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner on Monday.
ONE UNCONSCIOUS HOUSTON CONCERTGOER HAD NECK PRICK ‘SIMILAR’ TO INJECTION: POLICE CHIEF
The lawsuit alleges that signs of danger were evident in the hours leading up to Souza’s trampling and that his trauma was a result of the defendants’ “conscious disregard of the extreme risks of harm.” It notes that even after concertgoers breached a security gate and unduly entered the venue, the event was still allowed to proceed.
Additionally, the lawsuit points out that Scott has a history of encouraging rowdiness at his events. It highlights that during another event this year, Scott tweeted, “WE STILL SNEAKING THE WILD ONES IN” in response to fan complaints that a concert was sold out.
“He and those who promoted and supported this concert must take responsibility for their heinous actions,” the law firm’s statement reads. “We intend to hold them fully accountable by showing that this behavior will not be tolerated in our great city.”
Another civil lawsuit filed by Kristian Paredes targets Scott, Live Nation, the stadium, and rapper Drake, who performed alongside Scott on Friday. Paredes, represented by the offices of Thomas J. Henry, is accusing the defendants of inciting a riot and violence that led to him being wounded.
Paredes further contends that Drake “helped incite the crowd even though he knew of [Scott’s] prior conduct,” and “continued to perform on stage while the crowd mayhem continued.”
The lawsuit claims that concertgoers begged security guards hired by Live Nation for help during the chaos at Astroworld but were ignored.
“As a direct and proximate result of the incident and negligent conduct of the defendants, plaintiff suffered severe bodily injuries,” the lawsuit reads, claiming that Paredes might suffer from some of those injuries for his entire life.
Paredes is seeking monetary damages in excess of $1 million.
Following the incident, Scott posted a statement on social media saying he was “absolutely devastated” by what took place at Astroworld.
“Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life,” he said. “I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
In a statement provided to the Washington Examiner on Monday, Live Nation noted that the investigation into Friday’s mass casualty incident is ongoing.
“We continue to support and assist local authorities in their ongoing investigation so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time,” the group said.
