Judge declines to dismiss lawsuits against Travis Scott over Astroworld festival tragedy

A judge has denied rapper Travis Scott’s request to dismiss hundreds of lawsuits filed against him regarding his involvement in the tragic 2021 Astroworld festival, where 10 people lost their lives in a crowd surge.

State District Judge Kristen Hawkins issued a brief order on Tuesday rejecting Scott’s motion to have himself and his touring and production company, XX Global, removed from the case. Scott’s legal team argued during an April 15 hearing that he bore no responsibility for safety planning or monitoring potential hazards at the concert held on November 5, 2021.

According to Scott’s attorneys, his role was solely focused on creative aspects such as performing and marketing, and he was not accountable for safety measures. However, attorneys representing the family of Madison Dubiski, one of the deceased victims, contended that Scott displayed a “conscious disregard for safety” at the event. Allegations were made that Scott encouraged unauthorized entry and ignored directives to halt the concert despite reports of injuries and fatalities among the crowd.

The lawsuit brought by Dubiski’s family is scheduled to be the first to proceed to trial on May 6. Numerous other families of the deceased, along with hundreds of injured individuals, have filed lawsuits against Scott, Live Nation (the festival’s promoter), and various other parties.

Although Houston police conducted an investigation and no charges were filed against Scott, a grand jury declined to indict him or five others on criminal charges related to the Astroworld tragedy. The victims, ranging from 9 to 27 years old, succumbed to compression asphyxia, a condition akin to being crushed by heavy pressure.

Several lawsuits, including those filed by families of four of the deceased victims, have reportedly been settled.