Travis Scott, Live Nation, and others have been sued following the crowd surge at Astroworld that left eight people dead. Here’s what we know.
What was supposed to be a celebration of music turned into a tragic nightmare. Scores were injured, and eight people were left dead after a deadly crowd surge during the first night of Travis Scott‘s Astroworld festival. Authorities are still figuring out exactly what happened, what could have been done to prevent this, and who is accountable for this horrific tragedy. As those investigations continue, survivors and victims have begun to file legal action against Travis and the concert. Here’s what has happened so far.
What Happened At Astroworld?
Eight people were killed, and hundreds were injured following a crowd surge at Astroworld on Friday, Nov. 5. Around 50,000 people attended the show at NRG Park in Houston, Texas. Around 9:30 pm local time, roughly when Travis Scott took the stage for his headlining set, the crowd pressed to the front of the stage.
“As soon as [Travis] jumped out on the stage, it was like an energy took over, and everything went haywire,” concertgoer Niaara Goods told the Associated Press. “All of a sudden, your ribs are being crushed. You have someone’s arm in your neck. You’re trying to breathe, but you can’t.” The AP also reports that “audience members said barricades erected near the stage and to separate different sections of ticket holders prevented fans from escaping.” Harrowing footage of the chaos shows concert attendees begging for the show to stop, claiming that people were dead and dying.
Based on fire codes, NRG Park could hold up to 200,000 people, but city officials limited the attendance to 50,000. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo called for an “objective, independent investigation as to what went on and how it could have been prevented,” per NPR.
Who Died At Astroworld?
Eight people, whose ages ranged from 14 to 27-years-old, perished at Astroworld. As of Monday, Nov. 8, seven of the eight victims were identified:
John Hilgert, 14: John was a ninth-grade student at Memorial High School, according to ABC 13. His death was confirmed by a letter from school administrators sent Saturday to parents. “Our hearts go out to the student’s family and to his friends and our staff at Memorial,” MHS Principal Lisa Weir wrote. “This is a terrible loss, and the entire MHS family is grieving today.”
Brianna Rodriguez, 16: A junior at Heights High School in Houston, Brianna’s death was confirmed by a verified GoFundMe account established by her family, per CNN. “Gone from our sites, but never from our hearts. It is with profound sadness we lay to rest our beloved Brianna Rodriguez,” reads the page. “Dancing was her passion, and now she’s dancing her way to heaven’s pearly gates.”
Jacob Jurinek, 20: Jacob “Jake” Jurinek, an Illinois college student, was among the eight people killed. He was studying journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Franco Patino, 21: Franco was a senior at the University of Dayton. Originally from Naperville, Illinois, Franco was studying mechanical engineering technology and human movement biomechanics. “He was loved by so many because of the loyal, loving, selfless, protective, funny, and caring person he was,” his family said in a statement, per CNN.
Axel Acosta, 21: Axel’s death was confirmed to ABC13 by his father, Edgar Acosta. Axel had traveled from Washington to see Travis perform.
Rodolfo Peña, 23: Rodolfo lived in Laredo Texas, and studied at Laredo College. He was among the dead, and his older brother, Guadalupe Peña, set up a verified GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses. “He was the sweetest person. He was responsible. He was there for everybody,” his sister, Jennifer Peña, told Rolling Stone.
Danish Baig, 27: Danish hailed from Euless, Texas, and he died while trying to save his fiancée from getting trampled by the crowd surge. “People would admire him for who he was,” his brother Basil Baig told CNN. The fiancée survived but was left bruised and traumatized by the event.
Travis Scott’s Apology
Travis issued an apology on Nov. 6. “I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” he wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life. I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need.”
The following day, Travis posted a short video statement to social media. “I could just never imagine the severity of the situation… I’m honestly just devastated, and I could never imagine anything like this just happening.”
Travis Scott & Concert Lawsuits
As of Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, three lawsuits have been filed on behalf of people injured at Astroworld.
Manuel Souza, claiming to be one of the many injured during Astroworld, filed a lawsuit against Travis, Live Nation, ScoreMore, and Cactus Jack Records. Souza is seeking $1 million, claiming he “suffered serious bodily injuries when the uncontrolled crowd at the concert knocked him to the ground and trampled him.” The lawsuit alleges that Travis has a history of inciting crowds to ignore security and rush the stage. “He and those who promoted and supported this concert must take responsibility for their heinous actions,” Souza’s attorney claimed.
Kristian Paredes filed a lawsuit against Travis Scott, Drake, Live Nation, and the venue, according to CBS News. The civil suit blames Drake and Scott for negligently inciting “a riot and violence” and that Live Nation failed to provide adequate security and medical services. “Many begged security guards hired by Live Nation Entertainment for help but were ignored,” the lawsuit adds, according to CBS News. Kristian claims they suffered “suffered severe bodily injuries” that “had a serious effect on the Plaintiff’s health and well-being.” The suit seeks $1 million in damages.
A second lawsuit was filed by civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump on behalf of 21-year-old Noah Gutierrez. “We are hearing horrific accounts of the terror and helplessness people experienced — the horror of a crushing crowd and the awful trauma of watching people die while trying unsuccessfully to save them,” Crump said in a statement.