Travis Scott has been hit with a lawsuit by two security guards who worked the 2021 Astroworld Festival where 10 people died and over 100 others were injured during a crowd surge that pushed concertgoers near the front of the stage, ultimately crushing them.
In court documents obtained by XXL on Tuesday (Nov. 23), Samuel and Jackson Bush are suing Travis, his company Cactus Jack Enterprises, LLC, his label Cactus Jack Records, his organization Cactus Jack Foundation, Live Nation, concert promoter Scoremore, the security firm that hired them and AJ Melino and Associates, among others for failing to ensure a safe, secure and positive environment for all attendees, artists and staff at the Houston festival, which took place at NRG Park on Nov. 5.
According to their suit, filed on Nov. 19, Samuel sustained injuries to his back and suffered a broken right hand during the chaos. Both claim they are mentally and physically scarred after watching the fatalities that occurred at Astroworld Festival. Jackson claims in the lawsuit that he witnessed "CPR being performed on lifeless bodies" and also pulled a person from the stampede who ended up being deceased.
Additionally, the suit alleges that the security company that hired them didn't conduct proper background checks to ensure guards were qualified to handle the job and didn't provide any training—such as how to deescalate situations—before the event.
On Tuesday (Nov. 22), Samuel and Jackson Bush held a press conference in Houston with one of their attorneys, Larry F. Taylor, to discuss their lawsuit. Jackson told the media that he found out about the security job through a friend’s Instagram post. He told his uncle, Samuel, about the gig, and he was hired as well.
"For the most part, they told us where to stand, not to let people run in, and to be safe and not to put our hands on anybody," he said. "There was no training."
Jackson also claimed he was paid recently for the traumatizing gig, which was reportedly supposed to pay $30 per hour, but he received one-fourth of that amount altogether via Cash App. He recalled working about 16 hours the day of the event. Jackson also said that he wasn't made aware of day-two of Astroworld being canceled until the day of, opposed to receiving notice beforehand.
Samuel, who was trampled twice, resulting in his hand injury, said both men were asked to show up at NRG Park dressed in all black and allegedly weren’t provided any further instructions by security company AJ Melino and Associates. Samuel and Jackson said they were advised by the company to stay safe and not to put their hands on anyone.
The casualties that happened at the annual Houston festival has left a mental and physical toll on both Samuel and Jackson Bush. At the press conference, Samuel alleged that he pulled over 60 people out of the stampede before Travis even hit the stage. Meanwhile, Jackson claims that he was helpless in assisting people because he had broken his hand prior to being trampled in a stampede a second time.
“They went above the call of duty of what they were asked to do of being crowd control to become rescue workers,” Larry F. Taylor told legalexaminer.com in a report on Nov. 17. “It’s really sad that these organizers have not paid these men and women.”
Samuel and Jackson Bush are seeking monetary damages exceeding $1 million and their attorney fees paid by the defendants in the case. They are both being legally represented by the The Cochran Firm out of Texas.
A rep for Live Nation offered XXL a statement this afternoon: "We continue to support and assist local authorities in their ongoing investigation so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time."
XXL has reached out to the Cochran Firm of Texas, Live Nation and a rep for Travis Scott for comment.
To date, over $3 billion worth of lawsuits have reportedly been filed against Travis, Live Nation and other parties connected with the Astroworld Festival, including a $750 million lawsuit from 125 plaintiffs.
Watch Samuel and Jackson Bush's press conference below where they discuss their lawsuit against Travis Scott and organizers of the Astroworld Festival.