HOUSTON – Two security guards who say they were injured during the deadly Travis Scott Astroworld Festival announced Monday that they have filed a lawsuit against a number of parties, including the security company who hired them.
Samuel and Jackson Bush, an uncle and nephew who worked security during the event, held a news conference in front of NRG Park. The men, who are both from Houston, were accompanied by their attorney, Larry Taylor.
According to Taylor, Samuel Bush broke his right hand and injured his back as the crowd got out of control at the event that resulted in the death of 10 people. Bush said he was “physically overwhelmed by the crush of the crowd.”
“It was just overwhelming. I was trying to help out as much as I could and I wound up getting hurt. I reached my shoulder to her to grab around me so I could try to lift her up and slide her out, but as much as I tried, I could not get her,” said Samuel. “It made me feel less than a man knowing I couldn’t help, and then, later on, knowing many people died.”
Jackson said he suffered shoulder and back pain, as well as, emotional trauma as he watched CPR being performed on concertgoers. According to Taylor, Jackson pulled a deceased concertgoer out of the crowd.
“As far as training, there was no training. The plan just wasn’t executed the right way,” said Jackson. “I was so sore because I had helped out guys bigger than me and I found my uncle and I told him I just can’t.”
Among other defendants, attorneys for the Bush’s have named New York-based AJ Melino & Associates, the global security company that hired both men, for “failing to provide a safe workplace and any basic training.”
Asked about the conditions -- including a lack of walkie-talkies and limited communication between the security teams -- Jackson said, “It all seemed weird. I was just trying to keep my professionalism and just do the job.”
Jackson told KPRC 2 that the teams were just “thrown out there” and that it was “just planned to go that way.”
Taylor said the security teams were not instructed on-site and just signed their name on the day of the festival.
“You would think it would take more than just signing your name,” Taylor said. “At least an ID, at least the day before, coming through, walking through, seeing what you needed to do so everyone knew their assignment, everyone knew each other. None of those things were done. It was as simple as you and I meeting up now, and walking on the other side of this gate, and we’re supposed to secure the park. Secure what? Secure where? Secure who? None of these things were provided to these gentlemen and it seems as if they just wanted bodies -- more so than to actually secure.”
Jackson said he worked about 16 hours that day and received a fraction of what he should have been paid.
For more, watch the full news conference in the video player at the top of this article.
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