Travis Scott and Drake Sued for Millions Over Astroworld Tragedy

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Legal action is being taken against Travis Scott, Drake and other organisers of the ill-fated Astroworld festival, which left eight people dead and scores injured.

One concertgoer, Manuel Souza, is seeking $1 million in compensation, claiming gross negligence against Scott and organisers ScoreMore and Live Nation. In his petition he says his injury was a result of a "predictable and preventable tragedy."

"They consciously ignored the extreme risks of harm to concertgoers, and, in some cases actively encouraged and fomented dangerous behaviors," Souza says of the performers and organisers.

Another attendee, Kristian Paredes, is also seeking $1 million from Scott, Drake, Live Nation and Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation.

Paredes alleges that Drake "came on stage alongside Travis Scott and helped incite the crowd" and is accusing the rapper of carrying on with his performance "as the crowd became out of control" and "while the crowd mayhem continued."

Situated at the front of the general admission section, Paredes felt an "immediate push" as Scott entered the stage at around 9pm.

"The crowd became chaotic and a stampede began leaving eight dead and dozens including Kristian Paredes severely injured," the filing reads. "Many begged security guards hired by Live Nation Entertainment for help, but were ignored."

Paredes' lawsuit claims that "negligence, carelessness and recklessness" led to the deaths and injuries.

"There is no excuse for the events that unfolded at NRG stadium on Friday night," said Texas attorney Thomas J. Henry, who is representing Paredes. "There is every indication that the performers, organizers, and venue were not only aware of the hectic crowd but also that injuries and potential deaths may have occurred. Still, they decided to put profits over their attendees and allowed the deadly show to go on. Live musical performances are meant to inspire catharsis, not tragedy. Many of these concert-goers were looking forward to this event for months, and they deserved a safe environment in which to have fun and enjoy the evening. Instead, their night was one of fear, injury, and death."

Damning footage of Scott continuing to perform while fans screamed "Stop the show" has been circulating on social media, along with images of concertgoers lying unconscious on the ground.

"Fans were recording the concert and people doing CPR," said Madeline Eskins, an ICU nurse who was in attendance. "Fans were yelling at the stage crew around us, saying stop the concert, people are dying. No one listened. It was definitely overcrowded. It was insane, honestly. I knew it was just way too crowded – it just got worse and worse as I got closer to Travis Scott performing it got more crowded, more crowded, more crowded."

Eskins claimed the medical staff at the venue were ill-prepared.

"Some of these medical staff had little to no experience with CPR - didn't know how to check a pulse, carotid or femoral," she wrote on Instagram. "Compressions were being done without a pulse check so people who had a pulse were getting CPR, but meanwhile there was not enough people to rotate out doing compressions on individuals that were actually pulseless. The medical staff didn't have the tools to do their jobs and despite the crowd around us trying to get someone to stop the concert they just kept going, even though Travis acknowledged that someone in the crowed needed an ambulance."

Travis Scott has previously received two misdemeanour convictions related to crowd trouble at his concerts.

"I'm absolutely devastated by what took place," Scott wrote on Twitter. "My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival."
 

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