Houston police release Astroworld report
Houston police has published its full report on the 2021 Astroworld tragedy.
Ten concertgoers, aged between nine and 27, died following a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s headline set at the 50,000-cap festival, promoted by Live Nation and Austin-based Scoremore, at Houston’s NRG Park, Texas in November 2021. All of those who died suffered from compression asphyxia.
The 1,266-page report includes details of multiple witness interviews, including Scott and special guest Drake, as well as a timeline of events on the night.
“Travis stated that towards the middle/end of the show, just before the guest (Drake) took the stage, he was instructed to end the show after he (Drake) was done,” says the report. “He stated that normally if it was something drastic, someone would have to come hit the button or pull the plug.”
According to the document, Scott was later told: “Yo Trav, you got to wrap it up, it’s getting kinda hectic out there,” via his earpiece, but was not informed of the severity of the situation.
Drake told police it was difficult to see any crowd problems from his vantage point due there being “a lot of lights”
Drake told police it was difficult to see any crowd problems from his vantage point due there being “a lot of lights”, adding, “he was also focusing on his foot placement because he was concerned about his knee which he had recently had surgery”.
The report also reveals text messages sent by security contractor Reece Wheeler to a colleague, Shawna Boardman, which said: “Stage right of main is getting crushed. This is bad. Pull tons over the rail unconscious. There’s panic in people eyes. This could get worse quickly.”
In subsequent messages, Wheeler warned “someone’s going to end up dead”.
“I would pull the plug but that’s just me,” he said. “I know they’ll try to fight through it but I would want it on the record that I didn’t advise this to continue. Someone’s going to end up dead.”
Boardman’s attorneys said that she realised Wheeler “was wrong in his assessment”, and went to the area to make sure it was populated with the correct staff.
It was confirmed last month that no criminal charges will be filed over the tragedy
“She saw paramedics, police officers, security guards, and no unconscious people,” continues the report. “Shawna did not see any panic and saw a strong police presence. She said police were taking pictures of the show with their phones which reflected the matter as not extremely dangerous or a sense of emergency.”
Boardman did not relay information in Wheeler’s text to anyone else. “She did not reply to him. He does not get on the
radio or tell anyone else,” it adds.
It was confirmed last month that no criminal charges will be filed over the tragedy after a grand jury issued six no-bills related to the deaths. Jurors declined to charge Scott (real name Jaques Webster II), festival manager Brent Silberstein, John Junell of Live Nation, security planners Boardman and Seyth Boardman of Contemporary Services Corporation, and Emily Ockenden, formerly of event production company BWG, after reviewing all the evidence.
“It is tragic that 10 innocent people were killed while trying to enjoy an evening of music and entertainment, something many of us do routinely and without a second thought to our safety,” said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. “But a tragedy isn’t always a crime, and not every death is a homicide.”
The decision has no bearing on the pending civil lawsuits relating to the case.
A US taskforce made a series of recommendations on how to improve concert safety in response to the disaster last year.
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Travis Scott to livestream gig from Pyramids of Giza
Travis Scott is planning a performance in front of the ancient Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, in support of his forthcoming album.
Tickets for the Live Nation-promoted event, which will also be live-streamed at 9 pm on 28 July, sold out in 15 minutes.
Premium tickets were priced at EGP 4,000 (USD 129) while VIP tickets were sold for EGP 6,500 (USD 210).
The performance will see Scott premiere Utopia, his first studio album in five years and the first since the deadly crowd crush at his festival Astroworld.
Premium tickets were priced at EGP 4,000 (USD 129) while VIP tickets were sold for EGP 6,500 (USD 210).
Ten concertgoers, aged between nine and 27, died following a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s headline set at NRG Park in Houston, Texas in November 2021. The 50,000-cap festival was promoted by Live Nation and Austin-based Scoremore.
At the end of last month, a Texas grand jury issued six no-bills related to the deaths, meaning that no criminal charges will be filed.
Scott, Live Nation and Scoremore reportedly still face numerous civil lawsuits accusing them of negligence, wrongful death and more.
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No criminal charges filed over Astroworld disaster
No criminal charges are to be filed over the Astroworld festival tragedy.
Ten concertgoers, aged between nine and 27, died following a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s headline set at NRG Park in Houston, Texas in November 2021. The 50,000-cap festival was promoted by Live Nation and Austin-based Scoremore.
However, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced yesterday (29 June) that a grand jury has issued six no-bills related to the deaths, meaning that no criminal charges will be filed.
Jurors declined to charge Scott (real name Jaques Webster II), festival manager Brent Silberstein, John Junell of Live Nation, security planners Shawna Boardman and Seyth Boardman of Contemporary Services Corporation, and Emily Ockenden, formerly of event production company BWG, after reviewing all the evidence.
“It is tragic that 10 innocent people were killed while trying to enjoy an evening of music and entertainment, something many of us do routinely and without a second thought to our safety,” says Ogg. “But a tragedy isn’t always a crime, and not every death is a homicide.”
The decision has no bearing on the pending civil lawsuits relating to Astroworld
Ogg adds that the decision will have no bearing on the many pending civil lawsuits relating to the case.
Almost 5,000 people have claimed they were injured in the disaster, which unfolded on 5 November 2021, with lawsuits filed in each of the 24 district courts in Harris County. Nearly every claim alleges negligence such as “failures of safety and security rules, crowd control and emergency response measures, and failures to provide adequate security, supervision, training and care”.
Last year, the go-ahead was given for hundreds of the lawsuits to be formally consolidated into a single case. The first wrongful death lawsuit settlements were reportedly reached last autumn.
It is Harris County DA policy to have a grand jury review cases involving serious and fatal incidents that may or may not involve criminal activity. The grand jury presentation by prosecutors this week was followed 19 months of work by the Houston Police Department.
“I want to commend the dedication of each investigator and prosecutor who worked on this case for doing the kind of work any of us would want if the victims in this disaster were our loved ones,” adds Ogg.
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New safety plan finalised for Astroworld venue
A taskforce has unveiled an updated agreement regarding safety arrangements for events at Houston’s NRG Park, site of the Astroworld festival disaster.
According to the group’s members, the revised protocols, which will clearly state responsibilities for the various parties involved in events at the venue, will improve communication, development of safety plans and permitting procedures for large gatherings.
The 50,000-cap Astroworld was promoted by Live Nation and Scoremore. Ten concertgoers were killed and more than 300 injured after a crowd surge during festival co-founder Travis Scott’s headline set on 5 November 2021. All of those who died suffered from compression asphyxia.
AP reports that the move follows concerns relating to the the emergency response during the 2021 tragedy, amid confusion about which agencies and officials ultimately had authority over the event.
Under the new safety protocols for the venue, all relevant safety stakeholders will be required to be together at one location during an event to be able to better monitor possible problems. The move will also see the creation of an internal calendar of events and safety planning checklist, while the event permitting process will be streamlined.
“When there’s confusion, there’s hesitancy and when there’s hesitancy, bad things can happen”
“It’s not to say those things were absent so to speak. They weren’t as aligned as they needed to be,” says Houston mayor Sylvester Turner. “And when there’s not alignment, there’s confusion. And when there’s confusion, there’s hesitancy and when there’s hesitancy, bad things can happen.”
Houston fire chief Samuel Peña adds that while the creation of an emergency action plan was already required under the previous arrangement, the updated agreement dictates that all public safety agencies and other officials should take part in that process from the start and not simply review it at the end. “That is the big difference,” says Peña.
The Texas Task Force On Concert Safety (TFCS), which was announced by Texas governor Greg Abbott in the days following the disaster and went on to release a series of recommendations. One of its key proposals was for the creation of a centralised Event Production Guide – outlining and encouraging best-practice for event design and crowd control – which could serve as a one-stop shop for promoters to access existing legal requirements.
Earlier this year, the go-ahead was given for hundreds of Astroworld lawsuits to be formally consolidated into a single case. The first wrongful death lawsuit settlements were reached in October by the families of victims Axel Acosta, 21, and Brianna Rodriguez, 16.
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First Astroworld lawsuit settlements reached
The first wrongful death lawsuit settlements have been reached over last year’s Astroworld festival tragedy.
Axel Acosta, 21, and Brianna Rodriguez, 16, were among 10 concertgoers who were killed after a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s headline at the 50,000-cap festival in Houston, Texas last November, promoted by Live Nation and its Scoremore subsidiary. All of those who died suffered from compression asphyxia.
Announcing the claims brought by Acosta’s family against organisers have now been settled,” lawyer Tony Buzbee of the Buzbee Law Firm says: “Axel Acosta was a beloved son, brother, and student. He was kind and loving. He is greatly missed. Please keep his family in your prayers.”
In addition, court records show that Rodriguez’s family settled their lawsuit in July, although settlement terms have not been disclosed in either case.
Scott’s spokesperson Ted Anastasiou says that no member of the rapper’s legal team has participated in any settlement discussions
“Brianna Rodriguez was deeply loved and is terribly missed by her parents, her entire and extended family, her friends, and by her peers at Heights High School,” says a statement from Robin Blanchette and Troy Williams, attorneys for Rodriguez’s family. “Brianna’s memory will forever live within those whose lives she touched and through the nonprofit organisation, Dancing Through Bri, which has been created to provide scholarships to college-bound dancers and athletes.”
According to USA Today, Scott’s spokesperson Ted Anastasiou says that no member of the rapper’s legal team has participated in any settlement discussions. Live Nation is yet to comment.
Almost 5,000 people have claimed they were injured in the disaster, which unfolded on 5 November 2021. Earlier this year, the go-ahead was given for hundreds of Astroworld lawsuits to be formally consolidated into a single case.
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Crowd safety: Show stoppages rise post Astroworld
Crowd management specialists have spoken to IQ about the post-Astroworld rise in artists temporarily stopping shows due to fan safety concerns.
Last November’s tragedy in Houston, Texas, in which 10 people were killed following a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s closing set, appears to have prompted an enhanced level of vigilance from performers.
High-profile acts such as Adele, Paul McCartney and Billie Eilish have all briefly halted gigs in the last few weeks after being alerted to apparent medical emergencies in the audience, while Scott paused a New York concert earlier this month when he spotted fans climbing a lighting truss by the stage.
“We don’t know really how much of it was taking place beforehand for certain, but both venues and crowd managers are reporting an increase since Astroworld,” says Gentian Events founder Eric Stuart. “That is not a surprise though; it’s in the minds of the artists, for which we should all be grateful and hope it remains there.”
Crowded space expert Professor Chris Kemp elaborates on the shift in mindset that has occurred.
“It is not a new thing that artists, promoters, production reps, floor and barrier staff work together to keep the crowd safe,” he says. “But it is new that many more artists are understanding that they have a duty of care alongside everyone else for the audience.”
“We are seeing some more extreme behaviours and responses from crowds since we left Covid lockdown, making them more vulnerable”
Stuart, who also chairs the Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA), believes a combination of factors is driving the trend.
“Some of them are human heuristic tendencies or biases that make us – and that includes artists – focus on recent, high profile, high impact activity,” he tells IQ. “Astroworld fits all of those criteria. So there are some natural human elements to this for the artists. However, we are also seeing some more extreme behaviours and responses from crowds since we left Covid lockdown, making them more vulnerable.
“As well as some crowds being short tempered and intolerant, there is also an enhanced feeling of euphoria that may – I repeat, may – be leading to more medical events, fainting, etc, so there may be more need for artists to respond as well as more awareness of it.
“I emphasise may, because we don’t really have the empirical evidence, just plenty of anecdotal evidence from experienced people saying it is the case and frankly, we need to trust our instincts and our people on this.”
“We are still fighting with artists who encourage the public to join in mosh pits and don’t consider the risks”
Pascal Viot, safety chief for Switzerland’s Paleo Festival Nyon, urges all performers to treat their audiences with care.
“We are still fighting with artists who encourage the public to join in mosh pits, ‘walls of death’ and pogoing, and don’t consider the risks,” he tells IQ. “That is a real issue with fragile audiences.”
Singling out Billie Eilish for praise, Viot says the festival can collaborate with acts to make sure the crowd movement generated during their performances is under control. He also reveals discussions were held with Yourope Event Safety (YES) Group ahead of the 2022 season to educate artists and work together to provide the safest possible concert conditions.
Paleo sent a festival security rider to artists’ representatives this year, detailing the show stop procedure along with other safety elements.
“Show pauses or stops are complex matters that need very careful management”
Stuart stresses that show stops present additional issues from a crowd management perspective.
“Show pauses or stops – particularly the restart – are complex matters that need very careful management,” he says. “The awareness is very welcome, but the uneducated, unanticipated and unmanaged show stop is a challenge. Some of these show ‘pauses’ are absolutely essential, but some seem to have been generated by relatively minor, everyday incidents that security and medical teams just get on with.
“Certainly, one incident in a theatre in Vancouver led to a 20-minute show stop for a ‘faint’ which led to impatience and disorder in a crowd and soon afterwards, fighting on the balcony. That led to real risks for those bystanders on and below the balcony, but also for staff who had to intervene.”
Spearheaded by the United Kingdom Crowd Management Association (UKCMA), the Event Safety Alliance (ESA) and Event Safety Alliance Canada (ESAC), the GCMA was launched in December 2021 to “promote reasonable crowd management and crowd safety practices worldwide”.
“Artists have a vital role to play but, if they say the wrong thing, it could make matters far worse”
“If artists want to help, they should speak to the teams charged with crowd safety at the event first-hand. Not through agents or managers, but actually ask what is needed or expected of them in an emergency,” continues Stuart. “They have a vital role to play but, if they say the wrong thing, it could make matters far worse.”
Stuart expresses frustration that the lines of communication between security personnel and artists are often closed off.
“It is remarkably hard for the safety team to speak first hand to an artist protected by so many of their people,” he laments. “I just wish we could break down that wall of them protecting the artist so we could all protect the guests.”
“We do not expect artists to be entirely responsible for crowd safety, but they are part of the team that does that”
He concludes: “If any reader of this article is engaged in band or artist management, or you are ‘with the band’ and you know they are genuinely interested in crowd safety, just get in touch. We know the artist has a job to do and they are under enormous pressure to perform every time. They do that job with lighting effects that often make the crowd invisible and in-ear monitors making them almost deaf to the audience noise.
“We do not expect them to be entirely responsible for crowd safety, but they are part of the team that does that. We just want to give them an idea of what to say or do on the day they notice something amiss, and to know what we will do to rectify that. We want to work with them to keep all of our crowds safe and if we could get to speak to the artists, we think they would agree.”
To get in touch with the GCMA, email h[email protected], or contact Stuart directly at [email protected].
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Astroworld injury claims exceed 4,900
Almost 5,000 people have claimed they were injured in last November’s Astroworld tragedy, according to a new court filing.
Ten concertgoers, aged between nine and 27, were killed after a crowd surge during co-founder Travis Scott’s headline set at the 50,000-cap festival in Houston, Texas, promoted by Live Nation and its Scoremore subsidiary. All of those who died suffered from compression asphyxia.
Now, Rolling Stone reports that attorneys Jason Itkin, Richard Mithoff and Sean Roberts, who are acting as “plaintiffs’ liaison counsel”, have tied 732 claims to injuries that required extensive medical treatment, 1,649 to less extensive treatment, and 2,540 for injuries where the severity is still under review.
Earlier this year, the go-ahead was given for hundreds of Astroworld lawsuits to be formally consolidated into a single case . Lawsuits were filed against Scott and promoters Live Nation and Scoremore, along with other parties, in each of the 24 district courts in Harris County. Nearly every claim alleges negligence such as “failures of safety and security rules, crowd control and emergency response measures, and failures to provide adequate security, supervision, training and care”.
Scott performed for the first time in public since Astroworld at the weekend
The Texas Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation ruled that 387 suits, representing almost 2,800 alleged victims, could move forward as one case.
The accused parties have denied all allegations against them relating to the 5 November 2021 disaster.
Last month, the Texas Task Force on Concert Safety (TFCS) made a series of recommendations on how to improve concert safety and help avoid a repeat of the tragedy, including the creation of a centralised Event Production Guide – outlining and encouraging best-practice for event design and crowd control.
“While some level of risk is inherent in any mass gathering, it is the opinion of the TFCS that proper planning will allow Texans to enjoy safe performances, concerts, and other culturally significant events,” it said.
Scott took to the stage at a Miami nightclub at the weekend to give his first public live performance since Astroworld.
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Taskforce publishes Astroworld tragedy report
A US taskforce has made a series of recommendations on how to improve concert safety in response to last year’s Astroworld Festival tragedy.
Ten concertgoers were killed and more than 300 were injured after a crowd surge during co-founder Travis Scott’s headline set in Houston, Texas on 5 November. The 50,000-cap festival at NRG Park was promoted by Live Nation and its Scoremore subsidiary.
The Texas Task Force On Concert Safety (TFCS) was announced by Texas governor Greg Abbott in the days following the disaster. Led by Texas Music Office Director Brendon Anthony, the group comprised safety experts, law enforcement, firefighters, state agencies and music industry leaders, who held several meetings and one-on-one discussions to develop ways to enhance security at live music events in the state.
“The recommendations in this report are narrowly tailored to address gaps that were identified as contributing to safety failures at the Astroworld event,” states its newly published conclusions. “The TFCS also proactively used this process to enhance the state’s standard of safety practices for mass gatherings of all types.
“While some level of risk is inherent in any mass gathering, it is the opinion of the TFCS that proper planning will allow Texans to enjoy safe performances, concerts, and other culturally significant events.”
“The recommendations, findings and solutions detailed in this report will help the state of Texas prevent another tragedy like that at Astroworld Festival from happening again”
One of its key proposals is for the creation of a centralised Event Production Guide – outlining and encouraging best-practice for event design and crowd control – which could serve as a one-stop shop for promoters to access existing legal requirements. The guide would include a list of robust training resources for promoters, staff, and first responders for site walkthrough drills, security briefings, communication trees, and show-stop triggers and responses.
“I thank the Texas Task Force on Concert Safety for their commitment to safety and security for all concertgoers and for their collaboration with stakeholders on this critical report,” says governor Abbott. “The recommendations, findings and solutions detailed in this report will help the state of Texas prevent another tragedy like that at Astroworld Festival from happening again.”
The task force supports a requirement that promoters determine which emergency service would respond to a 911 call on the site of their event, and recommends that local authorities stop the show when it is determined that an event has been organised without a permit or has breached the bounds of the issued permit.
“The recommendations in this report are narrowly tailored to address gaps that were identified as contributing to safety failures at the Astroworld event”
It has also called for a Concert Attendee Code of Conduct as part of the ticketing process, which makes clear what behaviours will lead to ejection, and recommends that venues communicate with other venue representatives that have previously hosted the artist.
It adds that promoters should partner with artists to encourage safety, since messaging from the artist can be “uniquely persuasive” for fans.
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Hundreds of Astroworld lawsuits to be consolidated
Hundreds of Astroworld lawsuits are being formally consolidated into a single case following a court ruling.
Ten people, aged between nine and 27, died and hundreds of others were injured following the crowd crush during Travis Scott’s headline set at the festival at Houston’s NRG Park on 5 November 2021.
Lawsuits were filed against Scott and promoters Live Nation and Scoremore, along with other parties, in each of the 24 district courts in Harris County. Nearly every claim alleges negligence such as “failures of safety and security rules, crowd control and emergency response measures, and failures to provide adequate security, supervision, training and care”.
The Texas Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation has now ruled that 387 suits, representing almost 2,800 alleged victims, can move forward as one case.
“The agreed motion alleges the lawsuits arise out of incidents leading up to, during and following a live performance by Travis Scott during the Astroworld Festival outside NRG Park on November 5, 2021,” states the court papers. “We conclude that the cases arising out of the incident are related, and we find that transfer of those case would result in more efficient pre-trial of the related cases.”
“Houston Police Department continues to lead the investigation”
Billboard reports the move towards a single case was agreed upon by both sides. Scott previously requested to be dismissed from multiple lawsuits relating to the disaster, with a representative saying the rapper “is not legally liable” for the tragedy.
Live Nation, Scoremore and NRG Park owner Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation also deny all allegations against them, but have not asked for their dismissal.
Criminal investigations are still ongoing. Last month, Houston police appealed for Astroworld attendees to submit any photos or videos taken at the event.
“Houston Police Department have already viewed countless hours of video evidence as part of our ongoing investigation into the Astroworld event,” it tweeted. “To ensure that we have captured all possible evidence for a complete investigation, we have partnered with the Federal Bureau Of Investigation for additional technical assistance. The FBI has created a website where the public can upload any photos or video taken at the concert venue. Specifically, we are seeking any photos or videos of the main venue area from 8pm to 11pm. The website to upload your photos or video is fbi.gov/astroworld.
“HPD continues to lead the investigation and we appreciate the assistance from our federal partners at the FBI.”
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Congress demands answers over Astroworld tragedy
The US Congress has written to Live Nation to demand answers over the Astroworld tragedy.
Ten people, aged between nine and 27, died and hundreds of others were injured following a crowd crush during Travis Scott’s headline set at NRG Park in Houston, Texas.
In an open letter addressed to Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino, the committee on oversight and reform have requested information “regarding the roles and responsibilities for Astroworld Festival, security planning for the event, and the steps Live Nation Entertainment took after being made aware that law enforcement had declared the event a ‘mass casualty event'”.
We are committed to investigating what went wrong to inform possible reforms that could prevent future tragedies
“Recent reports raise serious concerns about whether your company took adequate steps to ensure the safety of the 50,000 concertgoers who attended Astroworld Festival,” reads the letter, signed by members of the committee.
“For instance, reports indicate that security and medical staff were inexperienced or ill-equipped to deal with mass injuries. Some attendees stated that the placement of barricades made it difficult to escape. Experts have stated that Astroworld Festival organisers failed to heed warning signs.”
The letter adds the tragedy follows “a long line of other tragic events and safety violations involving Live Nation”, stating the promoter has been “fined or sued numerous times over safety issues at previous events, including other incidents involving surging fans or stampedes”.
Members add: “We are deeply saddened by the deaths that occurred at Astroworld Festival and are committed to investigating what went wrong to inform possible reforms that could prevent future tragedies.”
The committee has asked Live Nation to respond by 7 January 2022.
Live Nation and its Scoremore subsidiary deny all allegations against them relating to the 5 November disaster.
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