Lawsuits claim rapper Travis Scott encouraged dangerous behavior
CHICAGO - It's been exactly 72 hours since the Astroworld concert turned tragic and now we're hearing from victims' family members and their attorneys who are suing Travis Scott and Live Nation — both accused of actively encouraging risky behavior.
"Today it's me," said Edgar Acosta. "I lost my son. It could have been you."
Acosta's 21-year-old son, Axel, was one of eight Astroworld concert-goers who died Friday night at NRG Park in Houston.
"He was trying to be an engineer or computer programmer because he wanted to provide for his family," said Acosta.
He is represented by Anthony Glen Buzbee of Buzbee Law Firm, who said Monday at a news conference, "when emergency caregivers finally removed Axel from the thick of human mass, he lay lifeless on the wet, littered grass at the edge of the chaos."
Acosta's family is one of dozens filing lawsuits against both Travis Scott and Live Nation, who organized the 50,000 person event, accusing each party of gross negligence.
"We will be filing a lawsuit on behalf of 35 plaintiffs," said Buzbee. "That number is growing. Our phone has rang off the hook. I think it is self-evident that this concert was planned incredible poorly."
He says Acosta and others died of "crowd-rush," when a large crowd rushes in one direction in a confined space.
"It's utter chaos. Utter chaos that's encouraged not only by Travis Scott, but by everybody involved with putting the concert on," Buzbee said.
Entertainment reporter Michael Babcock with TMZ says he thinks this tragedy will alter security and emergency protocol at such events.
"I think this has to change the way concerts – particularly outdoor festivals – are dealt with going forward," Babcock said.
The victims killed Friday range from 27-years-old down to just 14-years-old, including two college students who grew up in Naperville and attended Nequa Valley High School.
