Nine of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits filed in connection to the deadly crowd surge at the 2021 Astroworld music festival have been settled, according to an attorney. The one remaining lawsuit pending was filed by the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest person killed during the concert. Terms of the settlements were confidential, and attorneys declined to comment due to a gag order in the case. After Madison Dubiski’s death, her family started a foundation called Pink Bows focused on improving safety at outdoor concerts. The settlements aim to honor Madison Dubiski’s legacy and promote improvements for concert safety.
Attorneys for Dubiski’s family and other plaintiffs alleged that negligent planning and a lack of concern over capacity and safety at the event led to the deaths and injuries at the concert. Those killed ranged in age from 9 to 27, dying from compression asphyxia. Bob Hilliard, an attorney for Blount’s family, described the terror experienced by the youngest victim, Ezra, as the crowd surge ripped him from his father’s shoulders and suffocated him. Scott, Live Nation, and other defendants deny these claims, stating that safety was their number one concern and that the tragedy could not have been foreseen.
During a court hearing, Neal Manne, an attorney for Live Nation, stated that all the wrongful death lawsuits, including the one filed by Madison Dubiski’s family, have been settled. The terms of the settlements remain confidential, and representatives for rapper Travis Scott expressed gratitude that a resolution had been reached without the need for a trial. The one wrongful death lawsuit still pending was filed by the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, with attorneys prepared to discuss scheduling the trial. State District Judge Kristen Hawkins expressed a inclination to schedule the Blount family’s lawsuit as the next trial if it is not settled, over an injury case.
Approximately 2,400 injury cases remain pending out of more than 4,000 plaintiffs who filed hundreds of lawsuits after the concert. After the trial stay in Dubiski’s case, attorneys settled the lawsuit with all the defendants, including Apple, Scott, and Live Nation. Last year, a grand jury declined to indict Scott and five others connected to the festival after a police investigation. Attorneys for both sides have been engaged in ongoing litigation, with updates revealing that 10 of the wrongful death lawsuits have been resolved. The settlements are aimed at honoring the victims’ legacies and contributing to improvements in concert safety.
The deaths and injuries at the concert were attributed to negligence in planning and safety concerns by attorneys representing the plaintiffs. Despite claims of safety being a top priority by the defendants, the tragic events that unfolded could not have been foreseen, according to their statements. Attorneys for the plaintiffs have been vocal in their allegations, and the settlements reached aim to provide closure to the families impacted by the Astroworld tragedy. With the majority of the wrongful death lawsuits settled, the focus now shifts to the remaining cases pending trial and the ongoing efforts to improve safety measures at future events.
As the legal proceedings continue and the settlements bring some measure of resolution, the legacy of the victims lives on through initiatives like the Pink Bows foundation, established in memory of Madison Dubiski. The tragic events at the Astroworld music festival serve as a somber reminder of the importance of concert safety and the need for continued vigilance in ensuring the well-being of attendees. The settlements reached in the wrongful death lawsuits mark a step towards accountability and justice for the victims and their families, as they work towards healing and preventing similar tragedies in the future.
