Travis Scott: rapper faces at least 58 lawsuits after show tragedy

As investigators and show attendees seek to learn more about what caused the deadly crush of the crowd last Friday (5th) at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, a series of lawsuits are filed in a state civil court. United on behalf of the show’s attendees.

There are at least 58 civil lawsuits filed in Harris County District Court, Texas, questioning city officials, concert organizers and artists about how rapper Travis Scott’s performance was allowed to continue despite the uproar that resulted in the death by trampling eight people.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner told a news conference Wednesday that “the final authority to close a show (was) the production and the artist, and this should be done through communication with public safety authorities. ”.

Authorities said first aid began receiving news of injuries in the crowd around 9:30 pm local time – and the show continued for another 40 minutes.

Finner says the investigation revealed that officers told the production team responsible for the presentation that they were performing cardiac care and massage on at least one individual and that it was necessary to stop the show. Finner did not specify who the production team is or the timing of these notifications.

Questions were also raised about the actions of Live Nation, responsible for organizing the show, as well as festival headliner Travis Scott, who claimed not to know what was happening in the crowd during his performance.

“If the lights had been turned on – (if) the promoter or the artist had asked for it – it would have calmed the crowd. Who knows what the result would have been? But everyone there, starting with the artist and the entire team is responsible for public safety,” Houston fire chief Samuel Peña told CNN in this Monday.

Even so, Scott’s representatives are challenging city officials of their responsibility for the mess and the show’s continuation.

There were too many people there. It was overcrowded. The way the barriers were set up trapped people. It was a death trap.

said Billy Nasser, who was on the Travis Scott show, to CNN

Edwin F. McPherson, Scott’s attorney, released a statement on Wednesday attacking Houston city officials for “pointing the finger,” delivering “inconsistent messages” and backtracking on statements.

A 56-page operations plan, obtained by CNN this week reveals a clear chain of command in the event of an incident – ​​identifying the role of the executive producer, as well as the festival director, as the only individuals with the authority to stop the show.

The document, obtained by the CNN, is marked Version 0.1 – and it’s not clear whether it was the final version of the plan or when it was drafted.

“It was reported that the Operations Plan stated that only the festival director and executive producers had the authority to stop the show, neither of whom are part of Travis’s team,” McPherson said in the statement.

McPherson also noted Finner’s comments that authorities feared the show would stop early due to possible spectator disturbances.

Former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who was introduced to Scott by a mutual friend, told Erin Burnett of CNN, that Scott is “absolutely devastated” by what happened at the Astroworld Festival.

“Your heart is bleeding for your fans,” she said.
Speaking from Houston, Rawlings-Blake said he spent more than four hours with Scott this Wednesday and is working with him to ensure communication with city administration and prosecutors.

“We are doing everything in our power to ensure that no fan loses their lives at another show,” he said.

Investigation ‘will take weeks, possibly months’

Finner shared at the press conference that it is too early to say with certainty what accusations will be made for the disaster, but said investigators “will leave no stone unturned.”

The investigation into the incident and the deaths of eight people “will take weeks, possibly months,” he said.

He also said there is no evidence that one of the security guards at the festival was injected with drugs, but he confirmed that he was hit in the head and unconscious.

And while Finner says an independent investigation is unwarranted, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo may adopt that alternative.

Two showgoers remain in critical condition

Of the hundreds of people who were treated at the scene after the crowd surged against the rapper’s stage last Friday, at least two who were transported to a hospital remain in critical condition, Peña told CNN.

Bharti Shahani, 22, attended the show with her cousin and younger sister, according to cousin Mohit Bellani.

After suffering multiple injuries, Shahani is wearing a respirator and remains in critical condition, family lawyer James Lassiter said in a statement.

Shahani is a student at Texas A&M University, a university spokesperson confirmed to CNN. A 9-year-old child was also seriously injured at the festival, his family said, and is in an induced coma.

Survivors of chaos during the show describe scenes in which many participants were pressed against each other and sometimes, unable to stand, ended up falling and being trampled.

“They passed out. And they were on the ground and basically being trampled. And nobody caught them,” Billy Nasser told CNN on Monday. He was on the show and wasn’t hurt.

Josh Campbell, Rosa Flores, Ray Sanchez, Dave Alsup, Raja Razek, Anna-Maja Rappard, Steve Almasy, Allison Flexner, Claudia Dominguez e Caroll Alvarado, da CNN, contributed to this report.

(This text is a translation. To read the original, in English, click here)