Travis Scotthas been named in one of what is expected to be several lawsuits over themass casualty incidentthattook eight livesFriday at his Astroworld Festival in Houston.
He’s seeking at least $1,000,000 in damages and also asking for a temporary restraining order to prevent any destruction of evidence. The lawsuit also names Live Nation, organizer ScoreMore, Scott’s Cactus Jack Records and several others.
“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,” Live Nation said in a statement.
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A rep for Travis Scott did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival.Erika Goldring/WireImage
“Tragically, due to Defendants' motivation for profit at the expense of concertgoers' health and safety, and due to their encouragement of violence, at least 8 people lost their lives and scores of others were injured at what was supposed to be a night of fun,” the lawsuit reads.
Souza claims he “suffered serious bodily injuries when the uncontrolled crowd at the concert knocked him to the ground and trampled him.”
“Plaintiff’s injuries were the inevitable and predictable result of Defendants' conscious disregard of the extreme risks of harm to concertgoers that had been escalating since hours earlier,” the petition reads.
The lawsuit details the chaos, which unfolded after fans breached a security barricade and trampled each other to get in earlier in the day, “the same ‘bum rushing’ phenomenon” that happened at the previous Astroworld Festival in 2019. “Yet Defendants made the conscious decision to let the show to go on, despite the extreme risks of harm to concertgoers.”
Travis Scott.Amy Harris/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Souza’s legal team notes Scott’s history of allegedly inciting riots at his shows, including one in 2017, for which hepled guilty to disorderly conduct. Scott, whose real name is Jacques Webster, was arrested and initially charged with inciting a riot, disorderly conduct and endangering the welfare of a minor following a concert in May 2017.
Scott was previously arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in 2015 after encouraging fans at Lollapalooza to climb over security barricades and rush the stage. The performance was shut down within five minutes after dozens of fans joined him on stage, perChicago’s ABC7.
Travis Scott.Erika Goldring/WireImage
They also provided a tweet from another one of Scott’s shows, exactly six months before Friday’s incident. “WE STILL SNEAKING THE WILD ONES IN. !!!!!!” Scott wrote at the time.
At least eight people died and more than 300 were treated for injuries following the chaos that unfolded at approximately 9:15 p.m. on Friday, when fans in the crowd of about 50,000 began to rush the stage.
Shutterstock
A source close to the musician told PEOPLE that Scott wasunaware of the magnitude of the situationwhile onstage. “The lights were shining in his eyes and he couldn’t see what was happening,” the source said. “He thought someone had just passed out, which happens during concerts.”
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The rapperaddressed the incident in a statementreleased Saturday morning, offering his cooperation to the Houston Police Department and condolences to the families of the victims.
Scott said later that evening on his Instagram Story that he’s “working right now to identify the familiesto assist them through this tough time,” adding: “My fans really mean the world to me, and I always want to leave them with a positive experience.”
source: people.com
