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Organizers of rapper Travis Scott's Astroworld music festival foresaw the crowding issues in 2021 that led to 10 deaths, say court docs
The organizers of the Astroworld music festival where 10 concertgoers died foresaw crowding issues at the event, according to new court documents.
BBC reported that just ten days before the event in 2021, the festival's safety head flagged concerns about the number of people near the stage.
In court filings seen by the outlet, Seyth Boardman wrote to the festival's operations director saying 'there is no way we are going to fit 50k in front of that stage.'
Those killed, who ranged in age from 9 to 27, died from compression asphyxia, during a massive crowd surge at the Houston festival.
Lawyers representing their families submitted the documents that contained the alleged conversations as evidence in a mass civil case they filed against organizers.
Scott performs onstage during the third annual Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas
The 10 Astroworld fatal victims - (clockwise) Madison Dubiski, 23; John Hilgert, 14; Bharti Shahani, 22; Axel Acosta, 21; Brianna Rodriguez, 16; Mirza Baig, 27; Franco Patino, 21; Jacob Jurinek, 21; Rodolfo Angel Peña, 23; and Ezra Blount, 9
Approximately 50,000 people attended the sold-out Astroworld Festival at NRG Park in November 2021. Witnesses said the chaos broke out after Scott took the stage to perform
The new documents say that organizers mistakenly thought the fire safety code allowed for five square feet per person, but it was actually seven.
This contributed to the large crowd of around 50,000 being crammed into an area designed for only 34,500 people.
The documents also allege that organizers appeared concerned that gatecrashers could increase the crowd size making it more unmanageable.
BBC reported that one organizer wrote: 'We are going to be absolutely screwed when the sun goes down.'
Experts say in the filing that security lapses on the day of the festival failed to monitor the crowd for signs of a crush.
This case is set to begin in May, with defendants including the 32-year-old rapper, born Jacques Bermon Webster II.
Others involved in the case include concert company Live Nation Entertainment and the venue manager ASM.
An independent probe into the incident was rejected in 2021 and a grand jury declined to charge Scott and five others criminally in 2023.
In court filings seen by the outlet, Seyth Boardman wrote to the festival's operations director saying 'there is no way we are going to fit 50k in front of that stage'
At least 4,900 fans were injured, according to lawyers representing victims in lawsuits against Scott and the organizers.
The family of one of the people killed settled on undisclosed terms with Scott, Live Nation and others in October 2022.
In December 2021, speaking out about the tragedy Scott sat down with podcaster Charlemagne Tha God for an interview
In the interview, Scott blamed his 'in-ear' person for not urging him to stop the show sooner, and claimed that he wasn't aware of or responsible for the fatal stampede and crowd crush
Scott said that he is '1000 percent' certain he did everything he could have to prevent the tragedy, and claims he didn't hear the screams and cries for help as the crowd went out of control.
'Things happen, you know, and it's just been such a time, and I'm just trying to just really figure things out,' he said when asked why he was breaking his silence.
'My heart wasn’t there to be the villain—I was there to be a hometown hero.'
Charlemagne also asked Scott whether his encouragement of 'raging' was to blame, referring to the concert culture similar to mosh pits.
'Raging just the experience of having fun,' Scott claimed, adding that raging was an inducement to 'help others and love each other.'
Scott faced a slew of civil suits following the tragedy, but a grand jury declined to indict him and he has consistently denied responsibility for the chaos
Emergency personnel are seen here responding to the festival in November 2021
In July last year, Houston police made public its nearly 1,300-page report in which festival workers highlighted problems and warned of possible deadly consequences.
In a police interview conducted two days after, Scott told investigators that he did see one person near the stage getting medical attention.
He added that overall the crowd seemed to be enjoying the show and he did not see any signs of serious problems.
Documents filed in court in April listed more than 1,500 active cases, many of which were filed against Scott and Live Nation, the concert promoter.
Of these, 992 were cases with physical injuries and 313 were cases of 'emotional distress, pain, suffering and mental anguish.'
Orthopedic surgeries have been completed in 17 of these cases, with other surgeries recommended in another 21.
Some of the lawsuits have since been settled, including those filed by the families of three of the people killed during the concert.
VICTIMS OF TRAVIS SCOTT'S ASTROWORLD FESTIVAL
Ten people died at Travis Scott's music festival in Houston, Texas, with the victims ranging in age from 9 to 27.
John Hilgert, 14
John Hilgert, 14
John Hilgert, of Hunters Creek Village, was identified as one of the concert fatalities on Saturday by officials at Memorial High School, where he was a freshman student.
Hilgert attended the concert with his long-time friend Robby Hendrix, 15.
Henrdix's mother, Tracy Faulkner, bought her son's ticket for his birthday and 'ultimately regrets the decision'.
'Everything about that night was a tragedy,' Faulkner told the Houston Chronicle. 'They were both in the same place at the same time and one came home and one we will never see.'
She said Hilgret and Hendrix had known each other for years and played football together.
'John was a good student and athlete and so polite. He was the sweetest and smartest young man,' she shared.
Brianna Rodriguez, 16
Brianna Rodriguez, 16
Brianna Rodriguez was a dancer and junior in high school. Her family confirmed that she was one of the victims who died.
A GoFundMe account set up by her family described her as a 'beautiful vibrant 16-year-old'.
'Dancing was her passion and now she's dancing her way to heaven's pearly gates.'
Jacob Jurinek, 20
Jacob Jurinek attended the concert with his best friend Franco Patino when both were trampled to death. The pair grew up in the same Illinois town of Naperville.
A friend, going by the name Ana Lissa Marie, was distraught at the death of Jurinek, who was studying art and media at Southern Illinois University, and had traveled to Houston with Patino to celebrate Jurinek's birthday.
'I lost all my respect for Travis Scott,' she tweeted.
'What happened was absolutely disgusting. RIP to all the ones that lost their lives. To Jacob Jurinek, you will be missed kid. thank you for all the laughs.
'My condolences go to all the families that lost lives.'
Other victims included University of Dayton student Franco Patino (right), 21, who was attending the event with his best friend, 20-year-old Jacob Jurinek, when both were trampled to death
Franco Patino, 21
The University of Dayton confirmed to DailyMail.com that student Franco Patino of Naperville, Illinois, attended the concert in Houston.
The mechanical engineering technology major was involved in several campus extracurriculars and had most recently been working in a co-op program in Mason, Ohio.
University president Eric F Spina extended his sympathy and prayers to Patino's loved ones and the campus community.
Patino's fraternity, Alpha Psi Lambda, also issued condolences to his friends and family.
'It is with a very heavy heart, Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc shares that our brother, Franco 'Cuauhocelotl' Patino, has passed on to Omega Chapter,' the organization wrote on Facebook.
'We extend our condolences to his family, friends, Alpha Nu Chapter and all that share in this loss. May his memory be eternal.'
The college senior joined the fraternity's University of Dayton chapter a year earlier.
Patino (left) and Jurinek grew up in the same Illinois town and were best friends
Axel Acosta, 21
Edgar Acosta held a press conference with Texas attorney Tony Buzbee to announce he was suing over the death of his son Axel Acosta, who had traveled from Washington to attend the festival - his first concert.
Axel Acosta, 21
'They need to make things change in these type of events,' he said.
'Today it was me. I lost my son. It could've been you,' Acosta said.
'When you send your kid to have some fun, because somebody else is not providing the right... I don't know I can explain. The right security.
'Because it is not the first time that he has been in big events, right?
'You can go to Disneyland and have fun. You can go to a baseball game and have fun. Because they have the right security, the right people, some people assisting those injured.
'It's hard to explain.'
Rodolfo 'Rudy' Peña, 23
Peña, of Laredo, Texas, died of cardiac arrest after being injured at the show.
He was a medical assistant and criminal justice major with aspirations to become a model and dreamed of one day being a US Border Patrol agent.
'What happened this past weekend is a direct result of what happens when the pursuit of financial gain and fame take precedence over protecting the lives of the innocent,' said Almaraz Law Firm, representing the Peñas, in a statement.
'It is a testament to the current state of live events and the greed that runs rampant in this industry.
'Nobody should feel unsafe enjoying something they love, and unfortunately this is exactly what has transpired.
'We vow to work diligently and responsibly to bring justice to the Peña family and to all afflicted, and we will not rest until these voices have been heard loud and clear.
'We will hold responsible parties accountable and fight to ensure that something positive comes of this unmitigated disaster. Something must change. Something will change.'
Rodolfo 'Rudy' Peña, 23
Madison Dubiski, 23
Madison Dubiski of Cypress, Texas, was identified as one of the victims.
The former Ole Miss student was yanked from her brother Ty, who tried to pull her to safety, in the surge and disappeared in the crowd.
Dubiski studied at the University of Mississippi between 2016 and 2017 and worked in advertising and marketing. She went to Cy-Fair High School, where she was a Varsity cheerleader and member of National Charity League, a community service organization for mothers and their daughters in middle and high school.
Friends said that her mother Michelle was her best friend and that she was very close with Ty, who graduated from Cy-Fair in 2019.
Madison Dubiski, 23
Danish Baig, 27
Basil Mirza Baig took to Facebook Saturday announcing that his brother, Danish Baig also died at Astroworld.
'My brother was killed in this horrendous event that was managed poorly and supervised by such horrible people,' Baig wrote.
'People were trampled, walked and stomped on. My brother tried to save my sister-in-law from these horrendous acts that were being done to her in the process he lost his life.'
Baig described Danish as a beautiful soul who put everyone before himself.
'Last night he showed his courageous act to save my sister-in-law from those horrendous things that were being done. I am lost of words and in true trauma from this event,' he added.
'I was there and I wasn't able to save my brother. People were hitting pushing and shoving and did not care for anyone's life.'
Baig also accused the rapper of provoking the chaos by 'calling people to the stage to jump into the crowd' and for 'not stopping the show'.
'This is not the end,' Baig warned. 'My family and I will go to the full extent to make sure he is brought to justice.'
Danish Baig, 27
Bharti Shahani, 22
Bharti Shahani, a senior at Texas A&M, died from injuries sustained at Astroworld
Shahani, a Texas A&M senior, was critically injured at Astroworld and was on a ventilator at Houston Methodist Hospital, where she was taken after the concert.
She was declared brain dead and was taken off the ventilator shortly thereafter. She was the ninth person to die from the crowd surge.
It was the first festival Shahani had ever attended, her family said.
Her family's attorney, James Lassitier, said: 'Bharti was a shining star in the community.'
'She was a sister, a daughter, a high-achieving college student about to graduate from Texas A&M University with high, high grades.'
Ezra Blount, 9
Blount was the tenth - and youngest - person to die from injuries sustained at Astroworld Festival.
He had been trampled at the concert, placed in a medically induced coma and was on life support for a week before he succumbed to his injuries.
The young boy had spent the concert seated on the shoulders of his father, Treston Blount.
Treston passed out from lack of oxygen and, once we regained consciousness, was unable to locate his son.
By the time the father-son pair were reunited, Blount had suffered swelling in his brain as well as 'trauma in nearly all organs.'
Ezra Blount (right) and his father, Treston Blount (left), are pictured at Astroworld