Lawsuits mounting in response to Astroworld tragedy
Nine deaths related to event have been confirmed so far
HOUSTON, Tx. (KYMA, KECY/CNN) - A week after the Astroworld Festival turned deadly, many are left wondering how this tragedy could've happened.
Safety measures at the 50,000-person event has become a focal point as lawsuits against rapper Travis Scott, Live Nation and festival organizers are mounting.
According to CNN, more than 90 lawsuits have now been filed.
The main question of "Who should be held accountable for the nine deaths and hundreds of injuries resulting from the crowd surge" has yet to be answered.
However, Scott's attorney Edwin F. McPherson claims the rapper didn’t understand what was happening in the crowd, nor did he know emergency services had been called.
"He's up there trying to perform," McPherson says. "He does not have any ability to know what's going on down below."
Authorities report Scott continued to play for about half an hour after emergency services declared the concert a mass casualty event.
"We don't know when he was notified, if he was notified, and to what degree. All of this is speculation at this point," shares Houston Fire Department Chief Samual Peña.
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A 22-year-old student became the ninth fatality related to the event after she died Wednesday from her injuries.
"People were literally fighting for their life just to try to get out of there," expresses Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump. "Nobody should ever die from going to a concert!"
Family members continue to demand justice for their loved ones. According to another lawyer, a family's nine-year-old boy remains in a medically-induced coma due to injuries he got while attending the event.
Many concert goers describe the experience as "traumatizing" and "like a death trap."
"I remember being crushed from every side by human bodies, all around me," says Astroworld Festival attendee Uniqua Smith.
The festival organizer and promoter released a joint statement saying full refunds are being offered for all those who bought tickets. They also confirmed that a fund is being set up to help with costs for medical expenses.
