A lawsuit has been filed against rappers Travis Scott and Drake for “inciting mayhem” at a concert in Houston in Texas on Friday, AFP reported on Monday.
Eight people aged between 14 and 27 were killed in the chaos at the concert, while hundreds were injured. As many as 50,000 people were at the event.
The person who filed the lawsuit was among those who were wounded in the chaos. In his suit, the concertgoer, Kristian Paredes, alleged that Scott had incited chaos at previous events too, AFP reported.
“As Drake came onstage alongside of Travis Scott he helped incite the crowd even though he knew of Travis Scott’s prior conduct,” Parades claimed.
Parades filed the lawsuit against the performers in the Houston’s Harris County court through injury law firm Thomas J Henry.
“Thomas J Henry Law is now representing multiple victims of the Travis Scott Astroworld Festival tragedy,” the company tweeted on Monday, putting out a phone number for people to contact its attorneys.
Scott is also facing another lawsuit filed by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the families of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd – two African-American victims of police violence in the US.
Crump filed the suit on the behalf of a 21-year-old concert attendee Noah Gutierrez.
“We are hearing horrific accounts of the terror and helplessness people experienced – the horror of a crushing crowd and the awful trauma of watching people die while trying unsuccessfully to save them,” Crump and his co-counsel Bob Hilliard said. “We urge others who suffered physical or emotional injury or witnessed the events of that day to contact us.”
The Houston Police have said that their homicide and narcotics divisions will be involved in the investigation, according to the BBC. The police received unconfirmed reports that someone in the audience was injecting other people with drugs.
Scott had on Saturday said that he would fully support the police in their inquiry. “My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” he had tweeted. “I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need.”
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