Two Houston security guards who were injured at Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert earlier this month have filed a lawsuit against concert organizers and the security company that hired them.
The lawsuit says New York-based security company AJ Melino and Associates — one of the companies that hired security personnel for the event — failed to properly train and supervise employees, and failed to “provide adequate security, control, policies, and procedures” during the event.
Samuel Bush, 46, and his nephew Jackson Bush, 25, say they were hired by AJ Melino on the morning of the event after responding to a job posting on social media. Both men had past experience working in security, but said they received minimal training in preparation for the event.
During a Monday press conference, Attorney Larry Taylor said there was no interview process and little-to-no screening for the job.
“They signed in on a form and went to work,” Taylor said. “No I.D. Nothing required.”
The lawsuit names a long list of defendants, including AJ Melino, Travis Scott, Live Nation, the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation.
More than 230 lawsuits have been filed in the wake of Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert, including a $2 billion lawsuit filed on behalf of at least 282 victims.
According to Jackson Bush, security management was disorganized from the start. The situation became dire at around 9 p.m., when the crowd surged toward the stage as Travis Scott began to perform. The ensuing chaos led to the death of 10 people, while 25 were hospitalized.
Samuel and Jackson Bush said they tried to help as many injured people as they could.
“A lot of people were so into the concert that they didn’t want to be helped for the most part,” Jackson Bush said. “I helped a lot of people. It was already bad before the concert started.”
Both Samuel and Jackson Bush say they received injuries during the festival — Samuel’s arm was broken after being trampled twice and Jackson suffered shoulder and back injuries, according to the lawsuit.
“It was just overwhelming, I was trying to help out as much as I could and I wound up getting hurt,” Samuel Bush said. “They were speaking about shutting it down, but they continued on.”
The lawsuit is seeking damages for the “physical pain and suffering” and “mental anguish” that the two men endured from working security at the event.
“For people who are just everyday individuals — like many of us — to see dead faces, to see people in distraught trying to help others, and trying to help and not being able to help — it was hurtful,” Taylor said. “It’s troublesome because no one should have to see something like that.”