Grammy-winning singer Billie Eilish has denied making a dig at Travis Scott during her recent concert, after Kanye West threatened to pull out of his Coachella headline gig if she didn't apologize to Scott.

Back in November, 10 concertgoers died of compression asphyxia during Scott's Astroworld concert in Houston after the packed crowd surged toward an outdoor stage where Scott was performing. Since the tragedy, it has become common practice for artists to ensure crowd safety during their shows.

Eilish paused her performance at State Farm Arena in Atlanta last week after she noticed a fan having difficulty breathing. She told the audience before resuming the show: "I wait for people to be okay until I keep going."

On Thursday, West shared with his 11.2 million Instagram followers a screenshot of a post on the Instagram account @rapseatv, which commented on Eilish offering an inhaler to a distressed fan at her Atlanta concert.

Although Eilish mentioned neither Scott nor Astroworld onstage, the original post, which is no longer visible, claimed the "Happier Than Ever" hitmaker "dissed" Scott.

"Come on Billie we love you please apologize to Trav and to the families of the people who lost their lives," the caption to West's post read.

"No one intended this to happen Trav didn't have any idea of what was happening when he was on stage and was very hurt by what happened and yes Trav will be with me at Coachella but now I need Billie to apologize before I perform," he added.

Eilish denied that her comments were aimed at Scott, writing in the comment section: "literally never said a thing about Travis. was just helping a fan."

CNN has contacted West and Eilish's representatives for further comment.

Both artists were announced as headline acts for the 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival back in January.

The annual music event, which had to pause for two years because of the pandemic, is scheduled to run on April 15-17 and April 22-24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

This year's line-up also includes Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Swedish House Mafia and Lil Baby.

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.

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.

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 —

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.

HOUSTON —

A lawsuit has been filed following the Astroworld Festival tragedy that left eight people dead and dozens injured in Houston on Friday night.

A concertgoer who was injured during the festival is suing rapper and producer Travis Scott, who was the organizer of the Astroworld Festival, as well as entertainment company Live Nation, concert promoter Scoremore and others involved in the event, according to the lawsuit obtained by CNN.

Manuel Souza, who is being represented by the law firm Kherkher Garcia, "suffered serious bodily injuries when the uncontrolled crowd at the concert knocked him to the ground and trampled him," according to the lawsuit filed in Harris County, Texas.

"Defendants failed to properly plan and conduct the concert in a safe manner," the lawsuit continued.

"Instead, they consciously ignored the extreme risks of harm to concertgoers, and, in some cases actively encouraged and fomented dangerous behaviors. Their gross negligence caused Plaintiff serious injuries."

A jury trial is preferred to determine the exact amount of damages, according to the lawsuit, but Souza is seeking "monetary relief of over $1,000,000."

CNN has reached out to Scott, Live Nation and Scoremore for comment on the lawsuit.

"Heartbroken for those lost and impacted at Astroworld last night," Live Nation, the company responsible for organizing the Astroworld Festival, said in a statement. "We will continue working to provide as much information and assistance as possible to the local authorities as they investigate the situation."

Live Nation is a concert promoter, venue operator and the owner of Ticketmaster. According to its website, it sells 500 million tickets to concerts and festivals each year.

The timeline of events on the evening of the tragedy

The Friday night crowd at the sold-out Astroworld Festival was so tightly packed that when audience members were pushed toward the stage, some told CNN, they were crushed to the point that they couldn't breathe and passed out.

Concertgoers described the event as traumatizing, with many witnesses saying they saw lifeless bodies being trampled amidst the chaos. Those who survived had to fight their way out of the crowd as the music continued.

Scott took the stage for his set shortly after 9 p.m. Officials said they were made aware of crowd surges early in his set, and received the first reports of injuries at approximately 9:30 p.m.

It is unclear what Scott saw from the stage and whether he was aware of the crowd conditions at the time, but he continued to perform until approximately 10:10 p.m. That is about 40 minutes after the first reports of injuries were made to officials and just over 30 minutes after officials declared the concert a "mass casualty event," according to times given by Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña at a news conference Saturday morning.

Video from the concert's livestream also showed Scott pausing his performance and looking on in apparent confusion as an ambulance pulled into the crowd. He began performing against, but later stopped the concert.

Scott gave his first on-camera statement in a video posted to his Instagram account Saturday night.

"I'm honestly just devastated," Scott said as he repeatedly sighed and rubbed his forehead. "We're actually working right now to identify the families so we can help assist them through this tough time."

Some concertgoers have criticized organizers for continuing the show even as unresponsive people were being given CPR and carried away, but Scott indicated he was not aware of how severe things had gotten. "Any time I could make out, you know, anything that's going on, you know, I just stopped my show and, you know, helped them get the help they need."

The Houston Police Department tweeted Sunday the investigation into the tragedy is active and "in its early stages."

The lawsuit alleges, "Scott actively encourages his fans to 'rage' at his concerts. His express encouragement of violence has previously resulted in serious violence at numerous past concerts."

It also cites a since-deleted tweet from Scott in response to fan complaints about this concert's quick sell-out: "WE STILL SNEAKING THE WILD ONES IN. !!!!!"

The tragedy at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival left eight people dead and dozens injured, as the crowd surged during the rapper's set.

The crowd at the Friday night show in Houston was so packed that when audience members were pushed toward the stage, some told CNN that they were crushed to the point where they couldn't breathe and passed out. Others were trampled, as calls for help were drowned out by the music.

Concertgoers told CNN that Scott stopped the show at least three times to ask for help for concertgoers in the crowd, though some have criticized the artist and organizers for allowing it to continue. A criminal investigation of the tragedy is now in its early stages.

Scott and his partner Kylie Jenner, who was in attendance at the Houston show, have stated in separate social media posts that they are devastated by the tragedy.

Jenner said both she and Scott didn't know what was happening in the crowd at the time.

"I want to make it clear we weren't aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show and in no world would have continued filming or performing," she wrote.

Similar situations have erupted at concerts in the past — here's how artists have asked crowds to stay safe.

Linkin Park

When members of the band Linkin Park noticed that multiple people in the mosh pit at their show had fallen during one of their shows, they stopped playing, according to a video of the years-old incident shared on Twitter over the weekend.

"We got to look out for safety first, for real. Nobody gets hurt. That's number one," said Mike Shinoda in the video.

"We know we've been stressing all night about being cool, and this is the reason why," Chester Bennington said in the clip. "Let's go over it one more time: When someone falls, what do you do?"

"Pick them up," the crowd yelled back.

Dave Grohl

Another clip going viral in the wake of the Astroworld tragedy is one of Dave Grohl, who was seen stopping a Foo Fighters show in 2018 when he noticed a child who appeared to need a seat. It was later revealed that the child was blind and had autism.

"Hold on one second," Grohl said, pausing and pointing at someone in the crowd. "Does that kid need somewhere to sit?"

Grohl then invited the child and his parents to sit at the edge of the stage.

Slayer

In 2018, metal band Slayer were opening their final tour in San Diego, California, when the concert was paused due to the size of the crowd. Audience members were instructed to clear the aisles for safety reasons.

As fans booed the instructions, Tom Araya asked fans to cooperate.

"We live in a society of rules. But these rules are for your safety," he told the crowd. "They need to have cleared aisles so when something does happen, everybody has an exit, OK."

The show eventually continued.

ASAP Rocky

At a Rolling Loud performance in 2019, ASAP Rocky stopped a performance mid-set when he noticed some people had fallen.

"Everybody back up, look. Watch out," he begins. "Pick the girls up, bro. Pick the girls up... What's wrong with y'all."

The rapper continued yelling at the crowd to "back up" and "calm down" before he began performing again.

Playboi Carti

At Playboi Carti's Lollapalooza set this summer in Chicago, organizers came onstage to halt the rapper's performance, saying people were passing out -- information Carti immediately relayed to the fans, in a video posted after the Astroworld incident.

"They telling me it's a lot of people passing out. They keep stopping my music because people are passing out. I care about you guys' safety first," he said, as organizers continued to give him more information. "Everybody take three steps back and we can start the music right away."

Some social media users drew comparisons to Carti's set, saying that the organizers at Astroworld should have forced a stop like they did at Lollapalooza.

At another Playboi Carti show over the weekend, held after the tragedy at Astroworld, a safety warning was given to concertgoers ahead of the show, according to a video posted on TikTok.

"If you guys do not follow the rules, if you guys jump over to the floor, if you guys do anything that they consider dangerous, not one, not two, but just one person messing up, this show is over," the loudspeaker announcement said before Carti's appearance. "We are fighting, we are convincing them to let us do this show for you, but this show now, if it happens, it is on you. So please, let's have a good time and be respectful."

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.

Kylie Jenner is reportedly pregnant with her second child.

According to People, TMZ, and Page Six, Jenner and rapper Travis Scott, 30, are expecting their second child together.

According to Page Six, the Kardashian-Jenner family is "thrilled" for the couple.

The 24-year-old makeup mogul, and Scott, secretly welcomed their first child, Stormi Webster, in February 2018.

People reported that the reality TV star has been open about expanding her family, even talking about it on an Instagram Live with her friend Stassie Karanikolaou last April, admitting that she wants "seven kids down the line, but not right now."

The couple has had an on-and-off relationship since 2017.