ATTORNEYS representing more than 200 people claiming they were injured in last week's Astroworld Festival stampede in Houston said on Friday that they are filing another 90 lawsuits against the promoters of the event in which at least nine people died.
The announcement marked the latest legal action to follow last Friday's concert by Grammy Award-nominated rapper Travis Scott before a crowd of 50,000 at NRG Stadium that got out of control when fans surged toward the stage.
"We represent more than 200 victims who were injured mentally, physically and psychologically at the Astroworld Festival," civil rights Attorney Ben Crump announced at a news conference in Houston.
At least 50 other suits have been brought against producer Live Nation Entertainment Inc and Scott over the deaths and injuries related to the Astroworld Festival that was intended to signal the resurgence of Scott's hometown.
Live Nation and Scott did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Crump, who was joined by about a half-dozen other attorneys, said any one of several concert officials could have prevented deaths and injuries by stopping the show and turning on the house lights when the chaos in the crowd became apparent.
“Nobody should ever die from going to a concert,” he said. “So this lawsuit is not just about getting justice for them, but it's about making sure that the promoters and the organizers know that you cannot allow this to ever happen in the future.”
The nine people who were killed ranged in age from 14 to 27. A 9-year-old boy remains hospitalized in critical condition, police have said.
The latest victim of the stampede to succumb was 22-year-old Bharti Shahani, a Texas A&M University computer science student who died late on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Scott asked victims to reach out to him, saying he "desperately wishes to share his condolences and provide aid," according to a statement. The rapper earlier offered to pay for funeral costs and mental health counseling.
Attorney Alex Hilliard said the concert never should have been approved. He accused Live Nation of being criminally negligent by not having an emergency plan, adequate medical staff or equipment
"We are talking about the largest organizer and promoter of festivals and concerts in the world,” Hilliard said at the briefing. “And when that happens, a failure of epic proportions on this type of scale, it is criminal.”
The attorneys did not attach a dollar figure to their lawsuits during their announcement.
Police are continuing to interview witnesses and are building a timeline of events leading to the deaths, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said on Wednesday.
Reuters
Sun Nov 14 2021
Mourners gather at the visitation for Brianna Rodriguez, a concertgoer who died in a stampede during a Travis Scott performance at the 2021 Astroworld Festival, in Houston, Texas, U.S. - REUTERS
'No one will win a trade war,' China says after Trump tariff threat
Donald Trump says he would impose the tariffs until China stops the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States.
What has caused Pakistan's deadly clashes between police and supporters of Imran Khan?
Topping the demands of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is the release of all its leaders, including Khan, who has been jailed on a series of corruption charges since August 2023.
One woman or girl killed every 10 minutes by intimate partner or family member - UN
The report highlights that "60 per cent of all female homicides" are committed by "people closely related to them".
Sweden urges Chinese ship to return for undersea cable investigation
Two subsea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged in less than 24 hours.
[COLUMNIST] Building more highways won’t solve traffic congestion - reducing demand will
It is clear that adding more lanes and highways doesn't work, because we are still attempting the same approach to solve the issue.
Hyundai to invest RM2.16 bil in Malaysia through strategic partnership with INOKOM
This investment includes efforts to upgrade INOKOM's existing assembly capacity to meet Hyundai's automotive needs.
‘C4Cinta’ sets record as highest-grossing Malaysian Tamil film
'C4Cinta', directed by young filmmaker Karthik Shamalan, has set a new benchmark in Malaysian Tamil cinema.
Man charged with mother's murder, storing body in freezer
The court denied bail and scheduled case mention on Feb 7 for the submission of forensic, autopsy, and chemist reports.
Abolition of examination in schools to reduce pressure on pupils - Fadhlina
The classroom assessment approach offers a much more interesting learning ecosystem, says Fadhlina Sidek.
Google, Meta urge Australia to delay bill on social media ban for children
Google and Meta says the government should wait for the results of an age-verification trial before going ahead.
Judge tosses Trump 2020 election case after prosecutors' request
It represents a big legal victory for Donald Trump, who won the Nov. 5 US election and is set to return to office on Jan. 20.
DHL plane crash in Lithuania leaves authorities searching for answers
Rescue services said the plane hit the ground, split into pieces and slid over 100 metres (110 yards).
National squad to hold friendly matches for 2025 Indoor Hockey World Cup
The warm-up matches will involve matches against better ranked teams in the world, namely Austria (first) and Belgium (third).
G7 seeks unity on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The United States, part of the G7, has rejected the ICC decision, with President Joe Biden describing it as outrageous.
Francissca Peter remembers Tan Sri Ahmad Nawab: A tribute to a musical legend
A legend who has influenced our music for decades, was one of the highlights of my career, says Francissca Peter.
TikTok decision coming soon as Jan. 19 divestment deadline looms
Judges are reviewing TikTok's challenge to a law requiring ByteDance to sell its US assets by Jan. 19 or face a ban.
Lebanese sources: Biden, Macron set to announce Israel-Hezbollah truce
In Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, "We're close" but "nothing is done until everything is done".
PM meets chaebol tycoon to attract more FDI to Malaysia
Chaebols are prominent figures from South Korea's family-owned conglomerates.
Govt won't allow non-citizen vehicles to enjoy RON95 subsidy - Economy Ministry
The implementation of the RON95 subsidy in 2025 is expected to provide savings of RM3.6 billion to government expenditure.
Ringgit opens lower as greenback gains ground
Dr Mohd Afzanizam says the market responded positively to news of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent heading the US Treasury Department.