In the wake of the 10th victim dying due to injuries sustained at Travis Scott‘s Astroworld festival in Houston on Nov. 5, the rapper is facing a $2 billion lawsuit. TMZ reports that attorney Thomas Henry is representing 280 plaintiffs and the lawsuit was filed against Scott, Drake, Live Nation, NRG Stadium, and others. The lawsuit alleges that fans were “incited into a frenzy” during Scott’s performance, causing a deadly surge towards the stage.
According to the lawsuit, festival management did not take the appropriate steps to assure the safety of concertgoers. “The Defendants stood to make an exorbitant amount of money of this event, yet they chose to cut corners, cut costs, and put the festival attendees at risk,” the filing reads, explaining the asking sum of $2 billion.
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Ezra Blount, the 9-year-old boy who was injured during the Astroworld music festival, succumbed to his injuries, the attorney representing his family said on Nov. 14. He was the 10th victim of a deadly crowd surge that also led to over 300 people being injured, including 25 hospitalized. Ezra was placed in a medically-induced coma last week and faced severe brain, liver, and kidney trauma. Blount’s family is suing Scott and organizers for negligence.
“The Blount family tonight is grieving the ultimate, incomprehensible loss of their precious young son,” the Blount family attorneys said in a statement to CBS News. “This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, a joyful celebration. Ezra’s death is absolutely heartbreaking. We are committed to seeking answers and justice for the Blount family. But tonight we stand in solidarity with the family, in grief, and in prayer.”
“I am saddened to learn of Ezra’s death this evening,” Houston mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted on Nov. 14. “Our city tonight prays for his mom, dad, grandparents, other family members and classmates at this time. They will need all of our support in the months and years to come. May God give them strength. RIP Ezra.”
Although Scott has apologized and vowed to pay for funeral expenses for the victims, he and his festival partners are already facing multiple lawsuits. In their complaint, Ezra’s family accused Scott and organizers of “grossly negligent conduct” that contributed to Ezra’s injuries. Ezra was “kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death,” the complaint reads. “To his young, growing body, these injuries will have life-long effects, impairing his quality of life and ability to grow and thrive as he would have had he not been subjected to this incident.”
Eight of the 10 victims were pronounced dead the night of the concert. The 9th victim, 22-year-old Bharti Shahani, was pronounced dead on Nov. 10. The other victims are Jacob Jurinek, 21; John Hilgert, 14; Brianna Rodriguez, 16; Franco Patiño, 21; Axel Acosta, 21; Rudy Peña, 23; Madison Dubiski, 23; and Danish Baig, 27.
