A judge has refused to dismiss hundreds of lawsuits filed against rapper Travis Scott in connection with the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival, where 10 people lost their lives in a crowd surge.
State District Judge Kristen Hawkins issued a brief order on Tuesday, made public on Wednesday, denying Scott’s request to be dropped from the case along with his touring and production company, XX Global.
During an April 15 hearing, Scott’s attorneys argued that he was not responsible for safety planning or monitoring potential dangers at the concert on Nov. 5, 2021. They claimed that Scott’s duties and responsibilities related to the festival were limited to creative aspects, such as performing and marketing.
However, Noah Wexler, an attorney representing the family of Madison Dubiski, a 23-year-old victim, countered that Scott had a “conscious disregard for safety” at the sold-out festival. Wexler argued that the rapper encouraged people without tickets to break in and ignored orders from festival organizers to stop the concert when informed that attendees were being hurt or dying.
Earlier this month, Judge Hawkins dismissed lawsuits against Drake and several other individuals and companies involved in the show. The lawsuit filed by Dubiski’s family is set to be the first to go to trial on May 6.
The families of the 10 people who died, as well as hundreds of injured individuals, sued Scott, Live Nation (the festival’s promoter), and dozens of other individuals and entities. The victims, ranging in age from 9 to 27, died from compression asphyxia, which an expert compared to being crushed by a car.
Following an investigation by Houston police, no charges were filed against Scott, and a grand jury declined to indict him and five others on any criminal counts related to the deadly concert.
Some of the lawsuits filed by the families of the deceased and the hundreds of injured have been settled, including those filed by the families of four of the victims.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.