Live Nation, Travis Scott facing lawsuits over concert deaths
CBC
Multiple lawsuits have been filed and a criminal investigation opened after eight people died and hundreds were injured in an apparent crowd surge at Travis Scott's Astroworld music festival in Houston on Friday.
At least 14 civil lawsuits have been filed against promoter Live Nation Entertainment Inc., or a subsidiary, Live Nation Worldwide Inc., according to court records. Of those, 10 name Scott — whose real name is Jacques Webster — as a defendant and one names Drake, a fellow rapper and guest performer.
The lawsuits generally claim that Live Nation acted negligently by failing to create and enforce proper safety protocols, failing to provide adequate security and failing to maintain proper crowd control. The victims were crushed in a chaotic surge near the stage, with some trampled and others unable to breathe.
"Conditions were created and consented to by the festival organizers that caused several stampedes and a crowd compression that resulted in the tragic deaths of eight individuals and the serious injuries of hundreds more," according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Houston resident Wasem Abulawi, who the suit says was "seriously and permanently injured."
"I think it's self-evident that this concert was planned incredibly poorly," lawyer Tony Buzbee told reporters in Houston on Monday. His law firm represents the family of one of the concertgoers who died and is reported to be suing organizers on behalf of multiple plaintiffs.
Kristian Paredes, a resident of Austin, Texas, who named Scott and Drake as defendants, said Scott had "incited mayhem or chaos at prior events" and that Toronto-born Drake was aware of Scott's previous conduct.
Scott previously pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges related to two separate incidents of encouraging fans to rush the stage, once at a 2015 music festival in Chicago and later at a 2017 concert in Arkansas, local media in both places reported.
The most likely party to face liability would be the concert organizers and promoters who determined the level of security, said C.J. Baker, a Texas-based injury lawyer.
To prevail on a negligence theory, the plaintiffs must show that the defendants knew or should have known that there were actions they could have taken to prevent a foreseeable tragedy, Baker said.
As for Scott, his previous behaviour at concerts could help plaintiffs build a case against him, said Richard Mithoff, another personal injury lawyer from Houston.
"You have to know, at some point, that if you keep pushing it, this is the kind of tragedy that will result," Mithoff said.
Scott's record could help plaintiffs establish "gross negligence," meaning an almost total disregard for others' safety, Mithoff said.
In a video posted to social media, Scott said that he "could just never imagine the severity of the situation."
He paused his performance once it was clear people needed medical attention and encouraged the audience to make room for an ambulance that was winding through the crowd, but later finished his set.
