Most Wrongful Death Lawsuits Tied to Astroworld Festival Are Settled

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Music|Most Wrongful Death Lawsuits Tied to Astroworld Festival Are Settled

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/arts/music/astroworld-settlements-live-nation-travis-scott.html

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The rapper Travis Scott and the concert promoter Live Nation faced 10 suits after the 2021 tragedy. One case from the family of a 9-year-old victim is pending.

A crowd is silhouetted in front of a stage with colorful lights and two large video screens. The word “Astroworld” hangs above the stage.
Travis Scott performing at the Astroworld festival in 2019. A stampede during his concert at the 2021 festival killed 10 people and injured hundreds. Credit...Suzanne Cordeiro/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Christopher Kuo

May 8, 2024, 4:57 p.m. ET

Nine of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits that were filed after a stampede at the Astroworld music festival in 2021 have been settled, a spokeswoman for Live Nation confirmed on Wednesday after a court hearing about the latest agreement.

Ten people were killed and hundreds more injured as a result of a large crowd surge during a performance by the rapper Travis Scott in Houston on Nov. 5, 2021. The suits alleged that Scott, who was the headliner, the concert promoter Live Nation and other defendants had contributed to the deaths through negligent planning and a lack of safety measures.

A lawsuit filed by the family of 23-year-old Madison Dubiski was set to go to trial this week. But a lawyer for Live Nation said in a civil district court in Harris County that the case had been settled along with eight others, according to The Associated Press.

In its lawsuit, Ms. Dubiski’s family alleged that the defendants had caused her death by their failure to adequately plan, staff and supervise the concert. “While in attendance at the festival, Madison was trampled and crushed resulting in horrific injuries, pre-death pain and suffering, and her death,” the suit said.

The terms of the settlements were confidential.

The remaining pending lawsuit was filed by the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest person killed. Lawyers for his family did not respond to requests for comment.

Last year, a grand jury declined to indict Scott and five others connected to the festival. A crowd of 50,000 people had gathered for the third iteration of Scott’s event, named after the 2018 album that helped make him a star.

Ben Sisario contributed reporting. Kirsten Noyes contributed research.