Travis Scott concert victims’ attorney blames artist for 'enticing' crowd at 2021 Astroworld Festival
Attorney Rick Ramos held a press conference where he pulled no punches in criticizing Travis Scott over the Astroworld tragedy
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Attorney Rick Ramos held a press conference on Tuesday where he announced that he is filing a multi-million dollar lawsuit on behalf of at least ten victims of Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival.
Among his clients are the family of one of the eight people who died after the crowd surged during Scott’s performance, resulting in people getting crushed and trampled. Although Scott has said in statements that followed the deadly incident that he was unaware of the extent of the situation from his vantage point on stage, the Houston-based attorney rejected those sentiments.
"Mr. Scott was able to finish his set. This concert did not stop. He stopped for a second to just witness an ambulance come down, which put him on notice," the attorney stated. "Yet he continued on. Continued on to the last song knowing that these kids were out there dropping like flies, dead bodies, kids passing out, kids that could not be resuscitated."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ramos laid the blame at Scott’s feet for amping the dangerously packed crowd up for the purposes of putting on a good show.
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Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Erika Goldring/WireImage via Getty Images)
"Essentially, he enticed this crowd and turned it into an absolute mob, while they were hurting one another,’ he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The attorney added: "He decided to then go ahead and pour gasoline onto this show after seeing dead bodies right in front of him."
Ramos also noted that he believes Scott and the minds behind the Astroworld Festival should have been more aware that something like this could happen given that a similar event took place in 2019, the last time the festival was allowed to happen due to the coronavirus. Three people were hospitalized after the crowd stampeded into the venue in an effort for individuals to get a good spot to see the show.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Back in 2019 at the same premises, the same event, the same artist," he said. "A very similar situation occurred. Not very similar, it was the same. A crowd went ahead and stormed the barricades. A crowd went into the venue, security couldn't stop it. There was criminal activity that took place."
A visitor writes a note at a memorial outside of the canceled Astroworld festival at NRG Park on November 7, 2021 in Houston, Texas. According to authorities, eight people died and 17 people were transported to local hospitals after what was described as a crowd surge at the Astroworld festival, a music festival started by Houston-native rapper and musician Travis Scott in 2018. (Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
Indeed, a comprehensive, 56-page operational safety plan was in place at the 2021 Astroworld Festival. Although police are currently looking into how closely it was followed, the document did not include any mention of a crowd surge like the one that took place last Friday. Now, Ramos noted at the top of the press conference that he is hoping to get his clients the medical help they need, including dealing with the trauma they experienced from the event.
"They were subjected to witnessing dead bodies, dead right in front of them, could not be resuscitated, bodies that were turned purple right in front of their eyes, witnessed their friends be crushed by barricades, witnessed their bothers and sisters being stomped on," he said.
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Fans during 2021 Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Erika Goldring/WireImage)
Later in the press conference, he noted that "this case is more than money," stating that his goal is the emotional wellbeing of the children affected as well as holding Scott accountable.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Scott previously announced that the mental health of the victims of the Astroworld concert is paramount to him as well. He partnered with the therapy service BetterHelp, which will provide free one-on-one online therapy with a licensed therapist to those who want it. He is also working closely with NAMI, MHA National, and MHA of Greater Houston (Mental Health America) to direct all those in need to proper mental health services.