Astroworld: Travis Scott To Fund Funerals For Victims Following Deadly Festival Incident

On the 5th of November, approximately 50,000 people attending the Texas festival were crushed against each other during a fatal crowd surge. The horrific event has left eight people dead, and around 300 severely injured. The youngest of victims was a 14-year-old, with reports that at least 25 people were transported to hospital following the incident.  
 
Houston-based lawyer, Tony Buzbee has announced that his firm will be filing a lawsuit on behalf of 35 claimants – citing that “gross negligence” is what led to the tragedy. The suit will be filed against Scott and entertainment company, Live Nation - for failing to uphold appropriate safety and security measures.  
 
Additional suits have accused Scott and guest performer, Drake, of inciting “a riot and violence”.  Witnesses have claimed that people were being increasingly squashed just minutes before the performance began. When Travis took to the stage, the terrifying reality of the situation began to emerge.
 
Indeed, as soon as the show began, concertgoer, Alexis Guavin said that “all hell broke loose”. She told CNN that everyone ran to the front of the stage once Travis appeared, and quickly became “compressed” together with “little air available”. Another attendee, Emily Munguia, expressed her dismay at the event, stating that, “the amount of people I saw get hurt, passed out, bleeding, crying, is crazy”.  

As well as ongoing investigations being conducted by Houston police, Travis Scott has pledged to cover the funeral costs for the eight victims that died. In his first public statement since the tragedy unfolded on Friday - the rapper expressed his commitment to “working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need”. 

Scott has partnered with online therapy company, BetterHelp, which will provide free therapy to anyone affected by tragedy. Surprise performer and fellow rapper – Drake, also released a statement on Instagram, expressing his condolences for the lives that have been lost - citing that “his heart is broken”. 

With live music events, concerts, and nightclubs officially opening up again - we can only hope that this tragic event has encouraged officials to re-evaluate the effectiveness of their safety measures. The easing of restrictions, coupled with more and more people wanting to socialize again, means that overcrowding is a serious issue that occurs in these venues – one which needs to be addressed and tackled immediately. 

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