A Dayton, Ohio woman and her husband have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Travis Scott and Live Nation after losing their unborn child following the 2021 Astroworld tragedy. According to a report from Rolling Stone, plaintiffs Shanazia Williamson and her husband Jarawd Owens were expecting a child when in attendance at the festival, which took place at NRG Park in Houston, Texas on November 5. According to court documents obtained by Rolling Stone, Williamson and Owens allege that, while at the festival, Williamson was “trampled and crushed resulting in horrific injuries and ultimately the death of her and Jarawd’s unborn child.” Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for Scott and Live Nation for further information and comment. Williamson and Owens’ attorneys declined to comment when reached by Pitchfork.
The suit reportedly adds that “Shanazia sustained injuries to her shoulder, back, leg, chest, stomach and other parts of her body” and that “defendants’ failure to plan, design, manage, operate, staff, and supervise the event was a direct and proximate cause of Shanazia’s injuries and death of her and Jarawd’s unborn child.” In addition to Scott and Live Nation, defendants in the suit reportedly include ScoreMore, security company Valle Services SMG, ASM Global, and the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. Williamson and Owens reportedly allege that the companies were negligent and that the festival had inadequate security and medical personnel.
Astroworld 2021 ended in chaos on November 5, when multiple people were killed and hundreds got injured as the result of a stampede toward the stage. The initial death count was eight, but, in the days following the tragedy, two more deaths were recorded. The medical examiner ruled that the official cause of death was compression asphyxia. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed in the wake of the mass casualty event. Scott and Live Nation have denied allegations that they are responsible for the deaths and injuries sustained at Astroworld.
Scott recently started the process of returning to the public eye, performing at afterparties and seemingly teasing a new album with billboards. This weekend, he is scheduled to perform at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. The rapper addressed the Astroworld tragedy in March with the formation of Project HEAL, a philanthropic investment endeavor that includes an event safety initiative.
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