9-year-old "fighting for his life" after he was trampled at Astroworld, lawyers say
A 9-year-old is "fighting for his life" after he was trampled during the deadly crowd surge at the Astroworld festival, attorneys for his family said Tuesday. The boy suffered "life-threatening injuries" and has been placed in a medically induced coma to combat severe brain, liver and kidney trauma, the attorneys said.
The boy's family, who is suing Scott and other concert organizers for negligence, said in the lawsuit that the boy was "kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death" during the surge. He is now hospitalized in critical condition.
"This young child and his family will face life-altering trauma from this day forward, a reality that nobody expects when they buy concert tickets..." attorney Benjamin Crump said in a statement. "This little boy is currently fighting for his life, and his parents will never know the same child they entered Astroworld with."
At least eight people were killed at the Houston music festival on Friday after the crowd began surging toward the stage where Scott was performing, authorities said. At least two of the victims were teenagers.
The lawsuit, which seeks $1 million in damages, alleges that Scott and other entities responsible for the management, promotion, safety and security of the event "egregiously failed" to protect concertgoers.
"Defendants' acts or omissions involved an extreme degree of risk, considering the probability and magnitude of the potential harm to others of which the Defendants had actual awareness, but nevertheless proceeded with conscious indifference to the rights, safety, or welfare of others," the lawsuit said.
The news comes as Scott and other festival organizers are facing several lawsuits from the families of victims and from those who were injured in the chaos.
Scott has pledged to pay for the funeral expenses of the eight victims and said he was "absolutely devastated by what took place."
In an Instagram video, Scott said he didn't know the severity of the situation while he was performing. "My fans really mean the world to me and I always just really wanna leave them with a positive experience," the rapper said. "Anytime I could make out, you know, anything that's going on — I stop the show and help them get the help they need."