Travis Scott and the organizers of his Astroworld music pageant are dealing with renewed scrutiny after new court docket paperwork revealed that the occasion’s security head expressed considerations about potential overcrowding previous to the lethal live performance.
In accordance with reviews, Seyth Boardman, who helped create Astroworld’s operational plans, expressed apprehensions about accommodating 50,000 attendees in entrance of the stage days earlier than the pageant.
Had Boardman’s worries been addressed, the tragic occasions that unfolded on November 5, 2021, when a crowd surge on the live performance in Houston led to the deaths of ten people and injured lots of, could have by no means occurred.
Boardman’s considerations spotlight a broader subject of miscalculated crowd administration methods.
The current filings within the mass civil litigation towards the pageant’s organizers, Reside Nation, and Travis Scott himself embrace conversations and skilled proof suggesting a major underestimation of the house required per particular person to keep away from overcrowding.
Organizers erroneously believed the fireplace security code permitted 5 sq. ft per particular person, whereas seven was required.
This oversight contributed to the squeeze of roughly 50,000 individuals into an area designed for 34,500, exacerbating the danger of a crowd crush.
Further considerations highlighted embrace the potential for gatecrashers to additional swell the gang numbers and a scarcity of efficient monitoring for indicators of crowd misery.
Safety breaches on the day of the pageant have additionally been recognized as a essential issue that contributed to the tragedy.
Within the wake of the Astroworld catastrophe, over 4,900 people alleging to be victims have pursued authorized motion, looking for billions in damages for what has been described as negligence within the occasion’s group and administration.
Drake, who carried out with Travis Scott on the night time, has been named in a few of the lawsuits.
Nevertheless, his authorized staff is looking for his dismissal from these circumstances as a result of he was not concerned within the pageant’s planning and was unaware of any security considerations.
Up to now, Travis Scott has cooperated with investigators. He performed an eight-hour deposition in September 2023, and no legal expenses had been levied towards him.
The main target stays primarily on the broader occasion administration and security protocols that failed to stop the tragedy.
The Astroworld incident has prompted a reassessment of crowd administration and security requirements at massive occasions, which might have potential implications for future pageant planning and the authorized duties of artists and organizers.