Part-time employees who worked at Travis Scott's deadly Astroworld Festival may not get paid unless they relinquish the right to sue promoters Live Nation and Scoremore.In an email obtained by Rolling Stone, a manager representing the promoters suggested to a group of workers that they would not receive their paychecks unless they signed an amended employment contract that released Live Nation and Scoremore from any liability.More from VarietyAll 10 Astroworld Victims Died of 'Compression Asphyxia,' According to Medical ExaminerCoachella Promoter Goldenvoice Sues Live Nation for Trademark Infringement Over Competing 'Coachella Day One 22' FestivalTravis Scott Out of Coachella 2022 Lineup Following Astroworld TragedyThe part-time employees, who were paid $7.50 per hour to perform tasks like screening wristbands, signed an original contract before Astroworld started. But in the email, sent Nov. 15, the manager wrote, "Hoping to wrap up payroll and get everyone paid ASAP but I still need a few things from some of you! The first agreement included details from 2018. It has been updated so if you can resign and send back."According to Rolling Stone, the revised contract states, "(Employee) assumes full responsibility for any injuries or damages that may occur to the (employee) in, on or about the festival and its premises and fully and forever releases and discharges the released parties from any and all claims, demands, damages, rights of action or causes of action resulting from or arising out of the (employee's) attending and or providing services at the festival."The contract also clarifies that employees who sign it acknowledge that they are "not covered nor eligible for any employee benefits or insurance coverage provided by the released parties including but not limited to medical, property and liability insurance and workers compensation benefits."An anonymous staffer who received the email, but refused to sign the new contract, told Rolling Stone, "They essentially said, 'You need to sign this new form in order to get paid.' It was clear they wanted legal coverage."He continued, "I definitely thought they were thinking of business first. 'How can we cover ourselves?' I know they weren't thinking about us and how we were feeling, in my opinion. Nobody reached out to me individually to inquire how I was. It was just the paperwork."Reps for Scoremore and Live Nation did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone or Variety's requests for comment.Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In his first interview since the deadly tragedy at Astroworld, rapper Travis Scott is opening up about it.

In his interview with radio host Charlamagne tha God, Scott said he did not know concertgoers had been hurt "until minutes before the press conference" after the show.

The interview was posted to YouTube on Thursday.

Ten people died after crowds surged during Scott's performance at the festival on Nov. 5.

Scott, who has denied legal liability, has faced criticism for continuing with his performance.

According to CNN, Scott began his performance at 9 p.m. Houston police declared a "mass casualty event" around 9:40 p.m., but Scott's performance continued until after 10 p.m.

More than 300 lawsuits have been filed by attendees of the festival, the Washington Post reported.

HOUSTON —

The more than 300 lawsuits that have been filed so far in Houston following a massive crowd surge at the Astroworld festival that left 10 people dead have been consolidated and will be handled by one judge as the cases proceed through the court system, a judicial board ruled.

In an order issued on Tuesday, the Board of Judges of the Civil Trial Division of the Harris County District Courts in Houston granted a request by attorney Brent Coon to have all pretrial matters in the various lawsuits be handled by one judge. If any of the lawsuits go to trial, the case would return to its original court.

"This consolidation will promote the expeditious and efficient administration of justice," the two-page order said.

All pretrial motions and issues in the lawsuits will be heard by state District Judge Kristen Hawkins.

Those who have been sued include rap superstar Travis Scott, who created the festival and was the headliner, concert promoter Live Nation and other companies connected to the event.

The 10 people who died were among 50,000 who had attended the festival and were in the audience on Nov. 5 when Scott's concert turned deadly as fans surged toward the stage during his set.

The youngest victim was 9-year-old Ezra Blount. The others who died ranged in age from 14 to 27. Some 300 people were injured and treated at the festival site and 25 were taken to hospitals.

Coon, who is representing about 2,000 concertgoers and is asking for $10 billion in damages, made his consolidation request last month. He said Wednesday that having all the cases before one judge will create efficiency, eliminate redundancy and spread costs in the cases to everyone involved in the litigation.

"You don't want to have all the same issues argued and all the same witnesses deposed over and over again in every courtroom," Coon said.

But the consolidation that was granted on Tuesday might conflict with a similar request made by lawyers for ASM Global Parent, Inc. and its subsidiaries, which manage events at NRG Park, where the Astroworld festival was held.

Lawyers for ASM Global have also asked in a motion filed with the Texas Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, which is overseen by the Texas Supreme Court, to consolidate the lawsuits but assign them to a different Harris County judge, Lauren Reeder.

"Counsel representing more than 2,500 plaintiffs or potential plaintiffs and all principal defendants have agreed to this motion," ASM Global's attorneys said in their motion, which was filed on Dec. 1.

ASM Global's attorneys have asked that all discovery in the lawsuits — when attorneys can request or obtain documents or other information or depose witnesses — be halted until the state panel issues a ruling.

Attorneys for ASM Global didn't immediately return emails on Wednesday seeking comment.

Coon said he believes the company's request is no longer needed. If the state panel were to issue a decision, it would overrule the local order.

"Harris County has already addressed that with this order. So, if the (Texas) Supreme Court did anything now, they would just be meddling," Coon said.

Earlier this week, Scott's attorneys also filed his first response to several of the lawsuits, denying the accusations against him and asking that the cases be dismissed.

Coon said Scott's denial of the accusations and his request for dismissal are standard in such lawsuits and similar to an individual entering a not guilty plea at the start of a criminal case.

Scott and the event organizers are the focus of a criminal investigation by Houston police. No one has been charged, and no timetable has been set for when the investigation would be completed.

Scott's attorney had previously reached out to the families of the 10 who died, offering to pay for their loved ones' funeral costs. Several of the families turned down the offer.

HOUSTON —

A 9-year-old Dallas boy has become the youngest person to die from injuries sustained during a crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival in Houston.

Ezra Blount of Dallas died Sunday at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, family attorney Ben Crump said.

Ezra was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering serious injuries in the Nov. 5 crush of fans during a performance by the festival's headliner, rapper Travis Scott.

He is the 10th person who attended the festival to die.

"The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son," Crump said in a news release Sunday night. "This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyful celebration."

Treston Blount, Ezra's father, described what happened Nov. 5 in a post on a GoFundMe page that he set up to help defray Ezra's medical expenses. He said Ezra was sitting on his shoulders when a crowd surge crushed them. The father lost consciousness and when he came to, Ezra was missing, Blount said. A frantic search ensued until Ezra was eventually found at the hospital, severely injured.

The child incurred severe damage to his brain, kidney, and liver after being "kicked, stepped on, and trampled, and nearly crushed to death," according to a lawsuit his family has filed against Scott and the event's organizer, Live Nation. The Blount family is seeking at least $1 million in damages.

The others who died ranged in age from 14 to 27. Some 300 people were treated at the festival site and 13 were hospitalized.

Houston police and fire department investigators have said they are reviewing surveillance video provided by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips people at the show widely shared on social media. Investigators also planned to speak with Live Nation representatives, Scott and concertgoers. Scott and the event organizers are now the focus of a criminal investigation.

Attorneys representing concertgoers who were injured at the deadly Astroworld music festival earlier this month filed more than 90 additional lawsuits against the organizers Friday, including rapper Travis Scott and entertainment company Live Nation.

Nine people were killed at the concert when the crowd surged toward the stage as Scott performed. Dozens were hospitalized, and hundreds were treated for injuries at the scene.

Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump was among the lawyers representing the plaintiffs. He said he's representing more than 250 people, some of whom were "physically, mentally and psychologically" injured.

"This is not just about making sure we get justice," Crump said. "It is also about making sure Live Nation and all of the organizers...that had to do with the failure here that led to families losing their children."

Speaking alongside Crump were several people who were in attendance at the show.

Uniqua Smith, a mother of two, said Astroworld was "by far the most traumatizing experience of my life." She reported seeing other concertgoers experience seizures as the crowd closed in. She later said she was unable to get home until early the next morning due to lack of transportation.

Dishon Isaac described the concert as a "war zone."

"I just remember bodies everywhere. Limp bodies, people pulling bodies out of the crowd," Isaac said, noting he spent 20 minutes on the ground.

CNN reports that Scott's performance began around 9 p.m. local time, at which point police began receiving calls about injuries in the crowd. Police declared a "mass casualty event" around 9:40 p.m., but Scott's performance continued until after 10 p.m.

Eight people were pronounced dead in the hours after the concert, and a ninth victim died of her injuries on Wednesday. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 27.

The lawsuits filed Friday are just the latest legal actions filed against the organizers of the concert.

Prominent officials have called for an independent investigation into the incident.

Anticipation had been building for hours, but never more than now, as the red numerals on the countdown clock disappeared and the first synthesized notes vibrated. An image of an eagle in a fireball hovered above the stage, a neon red tunnel appeared and eight towers of flames rose to the sky. Leaping from darkness into the glow, rapper Travis Scott emerged, the instant for which tens of thousands gathered before him had waited.

In the thrill of the moment, clamoring for an idol, many pushed forward, thrusting revelers into revelers, closer and closer and closer, until it seemed every inch was swallowed. Then, fighting the compression or seeking escape, people pushed from the front to the back, and new ripples came with it.

What followed last Friday in Houston is clouded by unanswered questions and strikingly different experiences based on where someone stood, which swells of movement reached them, and how they handled the crush. But in the 70 minutes the headliner was on stage in a show that left nine dead, one thing was certain: Nearly everyone felt the waves of humanity, borne of excitement but soaked with risk, as they spread.

"You became an organism," said 26-year-old Steven Gutierrez of Ellenville, New York, who is 6-foot-2 and 391 pounds but nonetheless found himself struck by the power of the pushes that sent him drifting from his spot. "We're all one. You're moving with the crowd. The crowd's like water. It's like an ocean."

The enthusiasm of some 50,000 spectators at the sold-out Astroworld festival was evident from the time gates opened hours earlier, when some of the earliest arrivals rushed through entrances with such force that metal detectors were toppled as security guards and police on horseback struggled to keep up. Though the concert grounds hosted numerous acts, Scott, a Houston-born musician who founded the festival in 2018 on the heels of his chart-topping album "Astroworld," was undoubtedly the top draw. Some fans made a beeline for the stage built solely for the headliner, staking out positions they would hold for hours under the manufactured peaks of "Utopia Mountain."

By noon, a merchandise area was shut down because the crowd was out of control, according to Houston Fire Department logs, and by 5 p.m., as many as 5,000 people without festival wristbands were believed to have breached barricades, jumped fences and even used bolt cutters to make their way into the concert grounds.

As afternoon turned to evening and the countdown clock appeared around 8:30 p.m., the crowd grew denser and denser, attendees said, and the first waves of motion began to ripple.

With five minutes left and latecomers pushing in, it tightened more.

In the final 30 seconds on the clock, the craggy peaks of the stage's mountain turned to a volcano, and when the moment came, the crowd chanted: "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six ..."

Scott appeared. The pushes grew stronger. The first shockwaves of fear emerged.

Eligio Garcia, 18, of Corpus Christi, Texas, figures it was just 40 seconds into Scott's set that he looked at his girlfriend with concern. They felt heat swaddle their bodies. It became hard to breathe.

Screams echoed, begging: "Please, help me!" Behind him, people were falling. It looked to him like a human whirlpool. They felt the push and his left arm slipped away from her.

In an instant, both found themselves tangled on the ground in a pile of bodies.

They managed to get up, and Garcia said they screamed to nearby production staff for help but got no response. Every way out seemed impossible, but they eventually made their way to safety.

"We gotta get out of here," he told his girlfriend. "We can't fall back into this pit."

Travis Scott's fans are dubbed "ragers" and are expected to be in constant motion at a show. The rapper, who dreamed of being a wrestler as a child and has said he wants his shows to resemble WWF matches, cheers chaos from the stage and stirs up frantic energy. He even has a gold necklace mimicking a street sign: A jewel-encrusted red circle with a person standing still, a diagonal red slash through the body.

The message is clear: No bystanders at concerts. Ragers only.

And so the show continued, Scott headbanging and shrieking, running through a quick succession of hits.

Some experienced concertgoers in the crowd grabbed whistles around their necks or shouted "Open it up!" to trigger those around them to form mosh pits, circles that were the only voids in the jam-packed horde. Moshers shoved and heaved their bodies against one another in an aggressive ritual toeing the line between dance and violence. Around mosh pits' perimeter, circles of participants rotated and crowdsurfers took flight.

Moshers want their pits to grow as big as possible. Their outward push, combined with the rotations of participants, can create a swirl of motion that moves through the crowd. It was nothing new to many at the show. But, combined with the push toward the stage, others felt the crowd compress in ways they hadn't before.

Billy Nasser, 24, of Indianapolis, noticed it a few songs in. His raised arms no longer had room to come down. People were falling. Some stepped on the lifeless body of a passed-out man with his eyes rolled back in his head.

"I had to let him go .. It was every man for himself," Nasser said. "And that was when I realized how bad it was because I literally had to drop him and no one else would help me."

As flashpoints emerged in some places, the show went on. Lasers springing from the stage's tunnel made it look at times like a prism capturing a blaring sun.

Some 530 Houston Police officers were on the scene and their walkie-talkies crackled with a warning: Don't leave your group. No fewer than 10 officers together. Danger looms.

"We're having some structural issues that could be catastrophic," a voice cautioned.

About 22 minutes into his set, Scott seemed to see something in the crowd.

"Make sure he good," he said. "Walk with him. Take him."

Around the same time, over police radio, a voice advised: "Folks are coming out of the crowd complaining of difficulty breathing, crushing type injuries. It seems like the crowd is compressing."

The mass of people continued to tighten in spots, but escape paths remained.

Kevin Perez, a 19-year-old from Davenport, Florida, saw a mosh pit collapse behind him and realized he no longer was controlling his own movement. His forearms felt bound to his chest, his hands clenched in fists near his neck. He tipped his chin toward the sky for shallow breaths.

"It went from like excited to scared," he said. "People were trying to get out."

Perez followed a snake of people cutting through the crowd. Others climbed barricades.

In the hindsight of their escapes, the moments of this night would take new meaning.

An opening song entitled "Escape Plan." T-shirts brandished with "See you on the other side." A man in the crowd holding a white sign that asked "Will we survive."

The situation appeared to be worsening, the waves growing stronger, the opportunities to break free fewer.

"It got to the point," said 21-year-old Jason Rodriguez of Texas City, Texas, "where nobody could move."

About 28 minutes into Scott's set, a golf cart with flashing blue and red lights barely inched through the sea.

"There's an ambulance in the crowd," the rapper said. "Whoa, whoa, whoa."

He paused for about a minute. Scott told the audience to raise their hands to the sky. "You all know what you came here to do," he said, a cue for two men who were picked from the crowd to launch into stagedives.

Scott finished "Upper Echelon" as he hit the 30-minute mark onstage. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner later said this was the point his department noticed attendees "going down."

At the medical tent, where the capacity was just 10 people, according to permit filings, concern grew. On police radio, word was broadcast: "There's a lot of people trampled and they're passed out."

On the perimeter of the concert area, people were being thrust against metal barricades. Some began to bend.

During the next song, a young woman was captured on video climbing a platform with a cameraman.

"There is someone dying!" she cried. "There is someone dead!"

A young man joined her on the camera platform, screaming: "Stop the show! Stop the show!"

The show went on.

What the rapper could see remains unknown. He soon had a new vantage atop an elevated platform at center stage and said at one point he could see "all the way in the back." But in videos looking out at the spectators, thousands of glowing phones look like a sky of glittering stars. His attorneys said later he didn't know about the deaths or injuries until after the show.

As Scott sang from the platform, security guards were seen responding in the crowd, saying "He's not having a pulse" and "There's like four people out here without a pulse." Police say the festival's promoter, Live Nation, agreed to cut the show short around this time. Inexplicably, though, the concert continued.

Forty minutes had passed since Scott took the stage, and again he briefly stopped.

"We need somebody help. Somebody passed out right here," he said.

He returned to work shortly, singing lyrics that speak of "standing in the ocean." Before him, the real-life sea of humanity bubbled with problems. Panic spread.

"I gotta get out! I gotta get out!" Ariel Little cried, her chest throbbing under the crowd's crush.

"You're going to get trampled!" Michael Suarez told himself, struggling not to fall.

"I'm going to die in here!" Stacey Sarmiento thought as she tried to escape.

One woman bit a man to make her way through. A man said humans turned to animals as the situation spiraled.

It felt to some as if it couldn't get worse, but another rush was coming. Fifty-two minutes into Scott's set, superstar rapper Drake appeared on stage, a surprise that sent the crowd again pushing.

Gutierrez, a hulking former lifeguard, had returned to the crowd after a brief retreat after guiding two people to safety. Now, he was back among them, overwhelmed by the joy of seeing Drake before him.

"You felt the rush to the stage and there was a big push," he said. "The Drake effect."

Scott and Drake shared the stage for 14 minutes until, alone again, Scott delivered a final song as the mountain behind him burst with color and fireworks rocketed overhead.

"Make it home safe!" he yelled before jogging offstage.

The ocean receded, baring ground littered with shoes and clothes and trash. A field hospital bloated with the injured. And, from the lips of concertgoers, word of tragedy spread.

___

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Juan Lozano, Jamie Stengle and Robert Bumsted in Houston; Ryan Pearson in Los Angeles; and David Sharp in Portland, Maine.

As more details emerge about the struggles to communicate for attendees and employees at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, survivors of Friday night's crowd crush describe the horror of a "whirlpool" of people moving toward the stage during musician Travis Scott's performance.

Bryan Espinoza, 16, spoke at a press conference Tuesday with others caught in the crowd crush, saying "everyone's life was on the line" as the pressure built up during the show. Espinoza said he was pinned against a metal barrier.

"At one point my ribs were getting into the railing, basically impaled, and I was fearing for my life that I wasn't gonna make it," Espinoza said. A security guard helped him jump the gate, and he said there were "hundreds of bodies on the floor already from people passing out, falling over the railing."

Eligio Garcia, 18, described how he and his girlfriend were caught up in a "whirlpool" of people at the start of Scott's set.

"Just kids and people falling and people trying to reach up, like they're reaching up for you," he said. "I really heard people screaming like, 'Help, please help me.'"

Garcia said he and his girlfriend were knocked over and others fell on top of them. Eventually they were able to get upright in the scrum, and he said cries for help throughout the crowd to staff or show officials at the end of each song went unanswered before another began.

"It's a whole nightmare that just continues to play every night in my head," he said.

At least 18 lawsuits had been filed in Harris County District Court in Texas related to the Astroworld tragedy that unfolded among a crowd of 50,000. Eight concertgoers were killed in the crush, and three people who were injured are still in the hospital, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told CNN.

Ayden Cruz, who was alongside his friend Brianna Rodriguez — one of the eight people who died — told CNN's Anderson Cooper the two were around a "circle of people who had fallen behind us" and were the next to stumble.

"The ripple effects of the crowds going forward and backward, we were pushed onto our backs, and as that happened, people began to fall on top of us and cause it to be harder to get air and just so much weight on both of us," Cruz said, adding another friend of theirs "fell as well on his back and people on top of us. It was really scary."

Communication issues at concert

As officials work to gain a full understanding of what happened in the crowd during Scott's set, they are "looking at everything from the very beginning," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told CNN's Don Lemon on Tuesday.

"We're looking at the roles that everyone played, what missteps, failures, gaps that may have existed," Turner said, adding they aren't ruling anything out.

The mayor said they are also looking into complaints by fire officials there were failures in communication as the deadly crowd swell unfolded.

Peña told CNN Tuesday firefighters stationed outside the Astroworld venue were not in radio communication with the emergency medical providers hired by the concert organizers.

According to the president of the city's firefighter union, Houston Fire officials on standby near the venue had asked concert organizers for a radio to communicate with the emergency medical provider company but were only provided with cellphone numbers.

Attendees after the concert have since stated they were unable to text or call due to poor cell service.

After learning of the crush, the fire department sent its resources into the crowd, saying eventually 12 "very critical" victims were transported, in many cases with CPR in progress.

Turner said Live Nation has turned over some video footage from the event to Houston police and they are hoping to get more as the criminal investigation moves forward.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is considering an outside law firm or other third party for the independent investigation into the tragedy, according to her spokesperson.

Paying tribute to those lost

Mourners of the eight concertgoers killed are paying tribute at a vigil at NRG Park, the location of the festival.

Caitlin Barrera told CNN Tuesday she was a neighbor and former classmate of Madison Dubiski, a 23-year-old attendee who died.

"She was a really sweet girl and it's just really sad what happened to her," Barrera said. "This is the last thing that you would think would happen."

Rusty Barber, who did not know the victims, yet wanted to pay his respects, shared with CNN his frustration with how Friday's concert turned to tragedy and Scott's set continued during the surge.

"It could have been stopped. They could have taken a 10-minute pause, 15-minute pause, and then they could have got it situated. And then the show could have went on and all these people wouldn't have lost their lives," Barber said.

Scott maintains he had no idea the extent of what was happening in the crowd during Friday's show. Footage from the concert's live stream also showed Scott pausing his performance and looking on in apparent confusion as an ambulance pulled into the crowd before finishing the concert.

The investigation into the weekend's deadly crowd crush at the Astroworld Festival in Houston will "take weeks, possibly months," police Chief Troy Finner told reporters Wednesday.

Nearly a week after the tragedy, many questions remain unanswered, including whether event organizers, the performer or local authorities should have stopped the show earlier.

Finner noted that the "ultimate authority to end a show (was) with production and the entertainer, and that should be through communication with public safety officials."

"We don't hold the plug," he said.

Eight concertgoers were killed in the crush, and two people who were injured remain hospitalized in critical condition, Fire Chief Samuel Peña told CNN.

Finner downplayed his relationship with headliner and festival organizer Travis Scott, saying the two have only met twice, including once before the concert.

"Let me clarify something," Finner said. "I meet a lot of people. I was born and raised in here in Houston so if somebody's referring to a special relationship... if you call meeting him twice a special relationship... that's not a close relationship to me."

Finner was asked about meeting with Scott prior to the Astroworld Festival and said he "had no reason to believe that it wasn't going to be safe."

The chief said there were many unanswered questions and he declined to go into detail on the investigation. "Timelines are a major focus of the investigation right now."

Survivors have described the horror of a "whirlpool" of people moving toward the stage during Scott's performance Friday night.

"Everyone's life was on the line" as the pressure built up during the show, Bryan Espinoza, 16, said at a news conference Tuesday with others who'd been in the crowd of 50,000 and got caught in the surge. Espinoza ended up pinned against a metal barrier, he said

"At one point, my ribs were getting into the railing, basically impaled, and I was fearing for my life that I wasn't gonna make it," Espinoza said. A security guard helped him jump the gate, and there were "hundreds of bodies on the floor already from people passing out, falling over the railing," he said.

Eligio Garcia, 18, and his girlfriend were caught up in a "whirlpool" of people at the start of Scott's set, he recalled.

"Just kids and people falling and people trying to reach up, like they're reaching up for you," he said. "I really heard people screaming like, 'Help, please help me.'"

Garcia and his girlfriend were knocked over, and others fell on top of them, he said. Eventually, they managed to get upright in the scrum, he said, and cries for help throughout the crowd to staff or show officials at the end of each song went unanswered before another began.

"It's a whole nightmare that just continues to play every night in my head," he said.

Also in the scrum were Ayden Cruz and his friend Brianna Rodriguez, who died. They were around a "circle of people who had fallen behind us" and were next to stumble, Cruz told CNN.

"The ripple effects of the crowds going forward and backward, we were pushed onto our backs, and as that happened, people began to fall on top of us and cause it to be harder to get air and just so much weight on both of us," he said, adding another friend "fell as well on his back and people on top of us. It was really scary."

At least 18 lawsuits had been filed in Harris County District Court in Texas related to the Astroworld tragedy. A Houston attorney has "filed 68 lawsuits for injured victims, and we intend to file probably up to 100 if not more by the end of the day or the following day," he told CNN on Wednesday.

The list of defendants — including Live Nation, the show's promoter and organizer; Travis Scott; musician Drake; and NRG Park, where the festival took place — is growing to include a security company and potentially others, lawyer Thomas Henry said.

Communication gaps impacted immediate response

As officials work to gain a full understanding of what happened in the crowd during Scott's set, they are "looking at everything from the very beginning," Mayor Sylvester Turner told CNN on Tuesday.

"We're looking at the roles that everyone played, what missteps, failures, gaps that may have existed," Turner said, adding they aren't ruling anything out.

Officials are looking into complaints by fire officials there were failures in communication as the deadly crowd swell unfolded, the mayor said.

Firefighters stationed outside the Astroworld venue were not in radio communication with the emergency medical providers hired by the concert organizers, Peña told CNN on Tuesday.

Houston fire officials on standby near the venue had asked concert organizers for a radio to communicate with the emergency medical provider company but were only provided with cell phone numbers, according to the president of the city's firefighter union.

Concert attendees couldn't text or call due to poor cell service, some have said.

After learning of the crush, the fire department sent its resources into the crowd, saying eventually 12 "very critical" victims were transported, in many cases with CPR in progress.

At 10:15 p.m., the fire department upgraded its response to a mass casualty level two — meaning that between 20 and 50 people could be in need of transportation to hospitals, according to documents obtained by CNN and Peña.

Live Nation, the show's promoter and organizer, has turned over some video footage from the event to Houston police, who are hoping to get more as the criminal investigation moves forward, Turner said.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is considering an outside law firm or other third party for the independent investigation into the tragedy, according to her spokesperson.

Mourning those killed and recalling the horror

Mourners have paid tribute at a vigil at NRG Park to the concertgoers killed. Among them were a neighbor and former classmate of Madison Dubiski, 23.

"She was a really sweet girl, and it's just really sad what happened to her," Caitlin Barrera told CNN. "This is the last thing that you would think would happen."

Rusty Barber, who did not know the victims yet wanted to pay his respects, shared his frustration with how Friday's concert turned to tragedy and Scott's set continued during the surge.

"It could have been stopped. They could have taken a 10-minute pause, 15-minute pause, and then they could have got it situated. And then the show could have went on and all these people wouldn't have lost their lives," Barber told CNN.

Scott maintains he had no idea the extent of what was happening in the crowd during Friday's show. Footage from the concert's live stream showed Scott pausing his performance and looking on in apparent confusion as an ambulance pulled into the crowd before finishing the concert.

The performers should have stopped the show that night, said Henry, the lawyer who said he's lodged dozens of suits.

"At 9:38 there was a mass casualty incident report to all the producers at the show," he told CNN. "By 10:15, the show had ended. But in that period of time, Drake came on stage while people were being injured and killed. Those performers — Drake and Travis Scott, along with all of the event organizers -- knew the dangers associated with the crowd, what was going on with the crowd, and yet they continued to perform.

"And from the stage, you could see absolutely Travis Scott noticing people being injured, noticing people being carried off unconscious," Henry said. "And so those performers, instead of stopping the show and keeping those people safe in the crowd and taking those steps necessary to stop the event — help stop this crowd issue — they continued and the crowd was excited, the crowd got worse and more people got injured because they continued to perform."

HOUSTON, Texas — Emergency plans for the Astroworld music festival in Houston did not include protocols for dangerous crowd surges, even though that's what authorities believe happened Friday night when eight people died as rapper Travis Scott performed.

Hundreds of others were injured, including a 9-year-old boy whose family said was still in a coma on Tuesday. Attendees described scenes of panic in the crowd as fans pressed forward when Scott took to the stage.

The concert area remains largely in place as authorities continue a criminal investigation.

The Associated Press reports that a 56-page safety plan for the festival included protocols for active shooters, bomb threats and severe weather. However, the plan did not include protocols for a potential crowd surge.

Houston's police and fire departments played a key role in keeping the 50,000 attendees safe at the concert. However, the union head of the Houston Fire Department pushed back Tuesday, saying firefighters did not have a presence inside the festival and were not given radios to communicate directly with organizers, even though they had asked for them.

"We don't use cellphones for emergencies. We use radios. We need direct contact because as situations unfold, seconds matter," Marty Lancton said.

More than 20 lawsuits have already been filed, accusing organizers of failing to take simple crowd-control steps or staff properly.

Houston's police and fire departments have already vowed to conduct their own investigation into the tragedy. However, the top elected official in Harris County has called for an independent review of the tragedy in the hopes of removing any potential conflicts of interest.

During a press conference Wednesday, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner pushed back on the need for an independent investigation.

“Because I’m really confident on who we are here at HPD and I think we can do our own investigation," said Finner. "And let’s not jump ahead of things. We’re only a few days into this and I’m pretty confident with what our investigators are doing already.”

Finner said the ultimate authority to end the show was with production and Scott.

"And that should be through communication with public safety officials," said Finner.

The chief was also asked about his relationship with Scott and whether it should be considered a conflict of interest.

“If you call meeting him twice a special relationship – and I’m not being smart, I just want to be open and transparent – that’s not a close relationship to me. I’ve only spoken to him twice. So, let’s put that to rest,” said Finner.

Finner noted that merchandise tents played a role in the craziness at the event.

“A big thing and big challenge was merchandise tents, very sought-after merchandise. That’s what caused some of the kids rushing towards that and breaking barriers, breaking down barriers,” said Finner.

The chief added that the investigation is going to take time.

“Timelines are a major focus of the investigation right now. This type of investigation is going to take weeks, possibly months, so I ask everyone to allow us to let the investigation lead us to the facts as to what, how and why this occurred,” said Finner.

HOUSTON, Texas — Rapper Travis Scott has vowed to cover all funeral costs for those killed at the Astroworld Festival in Houston.

In a statement obtained by CNN and ABC News, a representative for the artist said Scott will also provide further aid for people affected by Friday’s tragedy.

Additionally, the representative said Scott has partnered with BetterHelp to supply free one-on-one therapy, and he’s working with local organizations to direct those in need to proper mental health services.

A total of eight people died and hundreds of others were injured when a crowd surged toward the festival's stage during Scott’s performance. The surge squeezed fans so tightly together that officials say they couldn’t breathe or move their arms.

Authorities are continuing to investigate what exactly went wrong and who may be responsible. That includes reviewing safety procedures and videos, as well as interviewing witnesses.

Those who died in the incident range in age from 14 to 27. These are their names, according to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

• 27-year-old Mirza Baig of Houston
• 23-year-old Rodolfo Peña of Laredo
• 23-year-old Madison Dubiski of Cypress
• 21-year-old Franco Patiño of Illinois
• 20-year-old Jacob Jurinke of Illinois
• 14-year-old John Hilgert of Houston
• 21-year-old Axel Acosta Avila of Washington
• 16-year-old Brianna Rodriguez of Houston

Scott’s representative says the rapper will announce more relief efforts for the victims in the coming days and weeks.

While a countdown clock to Travis Scott's performance ticked away, it got harder to breathe Friday as people packed into the Astroworld Festival in Houston, some in the crowd told CNN. And once the concert started, cries for help went unheard as the music roared.

"They passed out. And they were on the ground and basically getting trampled. And no one would pick them up," concertgoer Billy Nasser told CNN on Monday. "There was just too many people there. It was overcrowded. The way the barricades were set up had people trapped in. It was a death trap."

At least 18 lawsuits have been filed through Tuesday after the crowd surge that left eight people dead and dozens more injured. And Scott, the rapper who headlined and organized the festival, will no longer perform at this weekend's Day N Vegas, that Nevada event's organizers announced.

One of those severely hurt Friday was a 9-year-old boy who's in a medically induced coma, his grandfather said. Five of the injured were in intensive care Monday, Houston's fire chief said.

Investigators are working to determine all possible causes of death and injuries to concertgoers, including whether a batch of counterfeit pills possibly laced with fentanyl played a role, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the investigation. CNN is reaching out to authorities for comment regarding The Wall Street Journal's reporting.

Toxicology reports will have to be a key part in helping assess what happened, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Monday.

"That's going to take weeks," she said.

While organizers have had issues with crowd control in the past, it is too early to draw conclusions about exact causes of death, Hidalgo said.

"There's a lot of evidence of drug use. Could that have been part of it? It's hard for these families to grieve without answers," she said.

It could take up to several weeks before ruling on causes of death, said Michele Arnold, a spokesperson for the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office.

Among those injured was a security officer who "was reaching out to restrain or grab a citizen and he felt a prick in his neck," Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said Saturday. The officer went unconscious and was revived after medical staff administered Narcan, a drug used to treat narcotic overdoses.

Live Nation and Drake among named defendants

At least 18 lawsuits related to the festival had been filed by Monday evening in Harris County District Court in Texas.

Event organizer Live Nation Entertainment was named as a defendant in all but one of the suits, while Scott was named in most. Other people and organizations involved in the concert, including NRG Stadium as well as actor and musician Drake, were named in at least one of the suits.

"The injuries have had a serious effect on the Plaintiff's health and well-being. Some of the effects are permanent and will abide with the Plaintiff for a long time into the future, if not for his entire life," one of the lawsuits stated.

Other lawsuits allege serious injuries from being "trampled" during the crowd crush as well as "emotional distress."

The lawsuit in which Drake is named accuses him of helping to incite the crowd as the "surprise guest" alongside Scott, both of whom stayed on stage as "the crowd became out of control," the suit says.

Drake posted Monday on social media: "My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering. I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can."

Scott tweeted on Saturday: "I'm absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival."

NRG told CNN in a statement it is unable to comment at this time. CNN has reached out to Scott, Live Nation and others named in the suits.

Show continued during crowd surge

Scott will cover all funeral costs for those who were killed, according to a statement Monday from a representative.

"Travis remains in active conversations with the city of Houston, law enforcement and local first responders to respectfully and appropriately connect with the individuals and families of those involved," the statement reads. "These are the first of many steps Travis plans on taking as a part of his personal vow to assist those affected throughout their grieving and recovery process."

Some city officials say more responsibility lies with Scott for continuing to perform while many in the crowd were under duress. And crowd control has been an issue at his shows in the past.

Scott pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Arkansas in 2018, according to 40/29, after police say he encouraged people to rush the stage at a 2017 show. Two other misdemeanor charges, including inciting a riot, were dismissed.

Scott maintains he had no idea the extent of what was happening in the crowd during Friday's show. Footage from the concert's live stream also showed Scott pausing his performance and looking on in apparent confusion as an ambulance pulled into the crowd before finishing the concert.

Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña believes if Scott had ended his performance sooner, it may have calmed the crowd, he said.

"If the lights would have been turned on — (if) the promoter or the artist called for that — it would have chilled the crowd, and who knows? Who knows what the outcome would have been? But everybody in that venue, starting from the artist on down, has a responsibility for public safety, I believe," Peña told CNN on Monday.

Yet at a Saturday news conference, when asked why the show was not stopped sooner, the police chief cited potential rioting "when you have a group that's young" in a crowd of roughly 50,000 people.

There was a "discussion between promoters, the fire department, the police department, and NRG officials" about stopping the event," Finner said.

HOUSTON (AP) — Officials in Texas say at least eight people are dead and numerous others are injured following a surge of the crowd during a performance by rapper Travis Scott at the Astroworld music festival Friday night.

WATCH LIVE:

The Associated Press reported that officials declared it a “mass casualty incident” just after 9 p.m. Friday.

In a press conference on Saturday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the victims' ages ranged from 14 years old to 27 years old.

"Last night was tragic on many different levels, and this is a very, very active investigation, and we'll probably be at it for quite some time to determine what exactly happened," Turner said.

Turner said one victim was 14 years old, one was 16 years old, two were 22 years old, two were 23 years old, one was 27 years old, and one remains unknown at this time.

The unknown victim was a man, officials said.

Turner said six of the eight family members had been notified.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions. Over the next several days, several weeks, could be even longer, we’ll take an in-depth look at everything that took place," Turner said.

Turner said the incident is being investigated to find out what happened and where missteps occurred.

They are also in contact with Travis Scott's people.

Turner added that it is too early to draw conclusions about what went wrong.

Houston County Judge Lina Hidalgo has called for an objective, independent investigation into the Astroworld incident and has directed county agencies to cooperate.

"What I know so far is LiveNation and Astroworld put together a site plan, that they were at the table with the city of Houston agencies and Harris County's energy park. Perhaps the plans were inadequate. Perhaps they weren't followed. Everyone affected deserves answers," Judge Hidalgo said.

The Houston fire chief told reporters that the crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, which caused some people to panic.

The show was called off shortly after people began suffering injuries.

The fire chief says 17 people were transported to hospitals, including 11 people who were in cardiac arrest.

According to the news outlet, it's unclear if the eight people who died were among the 17 people taken to the hospitals.

Mayor Turner told reporters Saturday that 13 people are still hospitalized, including five under the age of 18.

An estimated 50,000 people attended the festival.

Mayor Turner said 528 Houston police officers provided security at Astroworld. There were also 750 LiveNation security officers on-site.

In a statement, Scott said that he was "absolutely devastated" by what happened and that the Houston Police Department had his "total support."

Drake had also joined Scott on-stage at the concert, which was live-streamed by Apple Music.

Saturday's show has been canceled, the AP reported.

Mayor Turner said the Astroworld incident is now considered an active criminal homicide and narcotics investigation.

HOUSTON —

Investigators are expected to examine the design of safety barriers and the use of crowd control in determining what led to a crush of spectators at a Houston music festival that left eight people dead and hundreds more injured.

Authorities planned to use videos, witness interviews and a review of concert procedures to figure out what went wrong Friday night during a performance by rapper Travis Scott. The tragedy unfolded when the crowd rushed the stage, squeezing people so tightly they couldn't breathe.

Billy Nasser, 24, who had traveled from Indianapolis to attend the concert, said about 15 minutes into Scott's set, things got "really crazy" and people began crushing one another. He said he "was picking people up and trying to drag them out."

Nasser said he found a concertgoer on the ground.

"I picked him up. People were stepping on him. People were like stomping, and I picked his head up and I looked at his eyes, and his eyes were just white, rolled back to the back of his head," he said.

Over the weekend, a makeshift memorial of flowers, votive candles, condolence notes and T-shirts took shape outside at NRG Park.

Michael Suarez, 26, visited the growing memorial after the concert.

"It's very devastating. No one wants to see or hear people dying at a festival," Suarez said. "We were here to have a good time — a great time — and it's devastating to hear someone lost their lives."

The dead, according to friends and family members, included a 14-year-old high school student; a 16-year-old girl who loved dancing; and a 21-year-old engineering student at the University of Dayton. The youngest was 14, the oldest 27.

Houston officials did not immediately release the victims' names or the cause of death, but family and friends began to name their loved ones and tell their stories Sunday.

Thirteen people remained hospitalized Sunday. Their conditions were not disclosed. Over 300 people were treated at a field hospital at the concert.

City officials said they were in the early stages of investigating what caused the pandemonium at the sold-out Astroworld festival, an event founded by Scott. About 50,000 people were there.

Authorities said that among other things, they will look at how the area around the stage was designed.

Julio Patino, of Naperville, Illinois, who was in London on business when he got a middle-of-the-night call informing him his 21-year-old son Franco was dead, said he had a lot of questions about what happened.

"These concerts should be controlled," Patino said. "If they don't know how to do that, they should have canceled the concert right then, when they noticed there was an overcrowd." He added: "They should not wait until they see people laying down on the floor, lifeless."

Steven Adelman, vice president of the industry group Event Safety Alliance, which was formed after the collapse of a stage at the Indiana State Fair in 2011 killed seven people, helped write industry guidelines widely used today.

Besides looking at safety barriers and whether they correctly directed crowds or contributed to the crush of spectators, Adelman said, authorities will look at whether something incited the crowd besides Scott taking the stage.

Adelman said another question is whether there was enough security there, noting there is a nationwide shortage of people willing to take low-wage, part-time security gigs.

"Security obviously was unable to stop people. Optically, that's really bad-looking," he said. "But as for what it tells us, it's too early to say."

Contemporary Services Corp., headquartered in Los Angeles, was responsible for security staff at the festival, according to county records in Texas. Representatives for the company — which advertises online as being "recognized worldwide as the pioneer, expert and only employee owned company in the crowd management field" — did not immediately respond to emails and phone messages seeking comment.

Houston police and fire department officials said their investigation will include reviewing video taken by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show.

Officials also planned to review the event's security plan and various permits issued to organizers to see whether they were properly followed. In addition, investigators planned to speak with Live Nation representatives, Scott and concertgoers.

Izabella Ramirez of Texas City was celebrating her 21st birthday and said that once Scott came on stage, no one could move.

"Everybody was squishing in, and people were trying to move themselves to the front. You couldn't even lift up your arms," Ramirez said.

Ramirez said a security guard pulled her over the barricade, while her date, Jason Rodriguez, lifted her up.

"Everyone was yelling for different things. They were either yelling for Travis or they were yelling for help," Rodriguez said.

On video posted to social media, Scott could be seen stopping the concert at one point and asking for aid for someone in the audience: "Security, somebody help real quick."

There is a long history of similar catastrophes at concerts, sporting events and even religious events. In 1979, 11 people were killed as thousands of fans tried to get into Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum to see a concert by The Who. Other past crowd catastrophes include the deaths of 97 people at a soccer match in Hillsborough Stadium in 1989 in Sheffield, England, and numerous disasters connected with the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Experts who have studied deaths caused by crowd surges say they are often a result of too many people packed into too small a space.

Also Sunday, one of the first of many expected lawsuits was filed on behalf of a man injured in the crush of people in state court in Houston. Attorneys for Manuel Souza sued Scott, Live Nation and others, saying they were responsible.

In a tweet posted Saturday, Scott said he was "absolutely devastated by what took place." He pledged to work "together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need."

___

Associated Press writers Jake Bleiberg in Dallas; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Kristin M. Hall in Nashville and Bob Christie in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.

A concertgoer who was trampled Friday during Travis Scott's performance in Houston has filed a lawsuit against the rapper and several entities involved in hosting the deadly music festival.

Eight people died, and 25 people were hospitalized Friday during Scott's performance at the Astroworld music festival.

According to KHOU-TV and CNN, attorneys with the Kherkher Garcia Law Firm filed the lawsuit Sunday on behalf of a 35-year-old man who was allegedly trampled during the concert on Friday.

The suit alleges "gross negligence" and claims that organizers failed to institute proper safety measures during the set.

"I'm hearing the word trapped. I'm hearing the words 'not being able to breathe.' I'm hearing the word 'drowning,'" attorney Ryan Macleod said according to KHOU, describing the conditions during Scott's performance Friday.

During the set Friday, concertgoers constantly rushed toward the stage, pushing fans closer and closer together and closer and closer to barriers. The stage rushing came after concertgoers jumped barriers and evaded ticket-takers hours before the performance.

CNN reports that Scott's performance began around 9 p.m. local time, at which point police began receiving calls about injuries in the crowd. Police declared a "mass casualty event" around 9:40 p.m., but Scott's performance continued until after 10 p.m.

As of Monday morning, seven of the eight people killed had been identified. The victims ranged in age from as young as 14 to as old as 27.

In a press conference Saturday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that an investigation into the tragedy was ongoing.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions. Over the next several days, several weeks could be even longer. We'll take an in-depth look at everything that took place," Turner said.

On Saturday evening, Scott took to his Instagram story to address the situation. Though the video expired after 24 hours, it has since been posted to other platforms, like YouTube.

"I just want to send out prayers to the ones that was lost last night," Scott said. We're actually working right now to identify the families so we can help assist them through this tough time. You know, my fans really mean the world to me, and I always just want to leave them with a positive experience, and any time I can make out anything that's going on, you know I stop the show, and you know, help them get the help they need. I could just never imagine the severity of the situation.

"We've been working closely with everyone to just try and get to the bottom of this — the city of Houston, HPD, fire department. You know, everyone that will help us figure this out. If you have any information, please just contact your local authorities.

"Everybody, continue to keep your prayers. I mean, I'm honestly just devastated. I could never imagine anything like this happening. I'm going to do everything I can to keep you guys updated and keep you guys informed on what's going on."

Rapper Travis Scott says he will not perform at a Las Vegas music festival this weekend after eight people were killed in a trampling incident at his show in Houston on Friday night.

In addition to the eight people killed, 25 people suffered injuries that required hospitalization during Scott's performance at his Astroworld music festival.

On Monday, NBC News and Variety reported that Scott would no longer headline the Day N Vegas music festival this Saturday. Variety spoke to sources who said Scott was "too distraught to perform."

Scott's decision not to play Day N Vegas came as thousands of people signed an online petition calling on organizers to remove the rapper from the lineup.

Variety and NBC also report that Scott has promised to offer refunds to those who bought tickets to the Astroworld music festival.

During the set Friday, concertgoers constantly rushed toward the stage, pushing fans closer and closer together and closer and closer to barriers. The stage rushing came after concertgoers jumped barriers and evaded ticket-takers hours before the performance.

CNN reports that Scott's performance began around 9 p.m. local time, at which point police began receiving calls about injuries in the crowd. Police declared a "mass casualty event" around 9:40 p.m., but Scott's performance continued until after 10 p.m.

As of Monday morning, seven of the eight people killed had been identified. The victims ranged in age from as young as 14 to as old as 27.

Over the weekend, Scott addressed the incident in a series of videos on his Instagram story.

"We've been working closely with everyone to just try and get to the bottom of this — the city of Houston, HPD, fire department. You know, everyone that will help us figure this out. If you have any information, please just contact your local authorities," he said. "Everybody, continue to keep your prayers. I mean, I'm honestly just devastated. I could never imagine anything like this happening. I'm going to do everything I can to keep you guys updated and keep you guys informed on what's going on."

A teen who loved dancing. An AT&T district manager. An aspiring Border Patrol agent. And an engineering student working on a medical device to help his ailing mother.

Clearer pictures began to emerge Sunday of some of the eight people who died after fans at the Astroworld music festival in Houston suddenly surged toward the stage during a performance by rapper Travis Scott.

Authorities said Sunday they wouldn't release the names of the dead, but family members and friends shared accounts of their loved ones with journalists and through social media. Mary Barton, a spokeswoman in Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's office, said identities were expected to be made public on Monday.

The dead ranged from 14 to 27 years old, according to Houston officials. As of Sunday, 13 people remained hospitalized.

City officials said they were in the early stages of investigating what caused the pandemonium at the sold-out event founded by Scott. About 50,000 people were there.

Experts who have studied deaths caused by crowd surges say they are often a result of density — too many people packed into a small space. The crowd is often either running away from a perceived threat or toward something, such as a performer, before hitting a barrier.

'LOVED HIS MOM'

Franco Patino, 21, was working toward a mechanical engineering technology degree at the University of Dayton, with a minor in human movement biomechanics, his father, Julio Patino, said in an interview. He was a member of Alpha Psi Lambda, a Hispanic interest fraternity, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and was working in an engineering co-op program.

Patino described his son as a charismatic, energetic leader who was active in his community and intent on helping people with disabilities.

He said his son was working with a team on a new medical device, and that he wanted to find a way to help his mother walk again after she was severely injured in an automobile accident in Mexico two years ago.

Through tears, Patino described how his son — who enjoyed weight lifting, football and rugby — used his strength to break a door and free his mom from the wreckage.

"He loved his mom," Patino said. "He said everything that he was doing, it was trying to help his mom. The entire goal."

Julio Patino, of Naperville, Illinois, was in London on business when the phone rang around 3 a.m. He answered it and heard his wife, Teresita, crying. She said someone had called from a hospital about their 21-year-old son, Franco, and that a doctor would be calling her soon. About 30 minutes, she called back with the doctor on the line.

"The doctor was giving us the news that our son had passed away," Patino said.

Patino said he had last spoken with his son about 2 p.m. Friday. Franco told his dad that there weren't a lot a people at the festival site yet

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Patino recalled his son saying. "I just said, 'Ok, just be careful.'"

'HARD-WORKING MAN'

Danish Baig, who identified himself on Facebook as a district manager for AT&T, and appeared to be a devoted Dallas Cowboys fan, was among those who died at the concert, his brother Basil Baig said on Facebook.

"He was (an) innocent young soul who would always put others before him. He was a hard-working man who loved his family and took care of us. He was there in a heartbeat for anything. He always had a solution to everything," Basil Baig told ABC News.

A funeral for Danish Baig is expected to be held on Sunday in Colleyville in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, his brother said. Messages left with Basil Baig were not returned.

LOVED TO DANCE

Brianna Rodriguez's family told People magazine that she was among those who perished at the concert. She was 16, a student at Heights High School and loved dancing, according to the family the magazine spoke with. A message left with the family was not immediately answered.

ASPIRING BORDER AGENT

Rudy Pena, of Laredo, Texas, was a student at Laredo College and wanted to be Border Patrol agent, his friend Stacey Sarmiento said. She described him as a people person.

"Rudy was a close friend of mine," she said. "We met in high school. He was an athlete… He brought happiness anywhere he went. He was easy to get along with. It was like positive vibes from him at all times."

"We all came to have a good time … it was just horrible in there," she added.

___

Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle and Juan Lozano in Houston contributed to this report. Chase reported from Dover, Delaware. Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey.

HOUSTON —

Officials in Texas say at least eight people are dead and several others injured in a crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival.

The surge broke out just after 9 p.m. Friday while rapper Travis Scott was performing, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told reporters at a news conference.

“The crowd began to compress towards the front of the stage, and that caused some panic, and it started causing some injuries,” the fire chief said. “People began to fall out, become unconscious, and it created additional panic.”

The show was called off shortly after several people began suffering injuries.

Officials transported 17 people to the hospital, including 11 who were in cardiac arrest, Peña said. Many people were also treated at the scene at NRG Park, where a field hospital had been set up.

Approximately 50,000 people were in attendance at the festival, Peña said.

The fire chief added that officials did not immediately know the causes of death for the eight people who died. A medical examiner would investigate. The deceased had not been identified as of early Saturday.

Officials set up a reunification center at a hotel for family members who had not been able to reach relatives who had been in attendance at the event.

Astroworld is a two-day music festival that was scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday in Houston. The event was sold out, according to the Astroworld website. Saturday's performances have been canceled.

Event promoters had arranged for medical units to be on scene at the festival, however once the crowd surge began, those units were “quickly overwhelmed,” Peña said.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner called for calm and urged people not to jump to conclusions as to what caused the surge.

“I think it's very important that none of us speculate. Nobody has all the answers tonight,” Finner said. He added that there have been several rumors surrounding the event that authorities would look into.

“We're going to do an investigation and find out because it's not fair to the producers, to anybody else involved, until we determine what happened, what caused the surge,” he said. “We don't know, but we will find out.”