HOUSTON – A Dallas law firm has filed a lawsuit against Live Nation, rapper Travis Scott, and other defendants on behalf of the family of Danish Baig, 27, who they say died fighting to save his fiancée during the crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival.
The family’s attorneys, from the Texas trial firm Lyons & Simmons, LLP, filed the complaint on Nov. 19 in Harris County District Court. The suit claims the defendants “placed more value on their own financial gain than on the safety of the concertgoers whose money was used to line the Defendants’ pockets.”
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Baig, of Crowley Texas, was one of 10 victims who died from injuries sustained during the chaos that unfolded at NRG Park the night of Nov. 5. Hundreds of others were injured in the incident, including Baig’s fiancée Olivia and brother Basil.
“Danish sacrificed his life trying to save Olivia from the mayhem of an over-stimulated, unregulated crush of at least 50,000 people,” said attorney Chris Simmons, in a statement. “Olivia and Basil are trying to heal from their physical wounds. But the Baig family and Olivia will never fully recover from the pain of knowing that he suffered such a horrific and preventable death.”
Danish, Olivia and Basil attended the festival together and witnessed the event devolve as Travis Scott took the stage that night, according to the lawsuit.
“Concerned for the love of his life, Danish wrapped his arms around Olivia and tried to lead her to safety,” the suit reads.
As the group attempted to exit the crowd from the side, concert staff members directed them to exit out through the back of the crowd and all three became separated.
The lawsuit states Olivia was pushed to the ground. While she was hit and stomped on, she could not see Danish but she did hear him screaming her name.
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At some point a Good Samaritan helped Olivia up. Once steady on her feet, Olivia broke through the crowd, found a security guard and pleaded with him to help her find her fiancée.
Olivia was then directed to an area to receive first aid. While there, she witnessed medics carry Danish to the area while performing CPR on him, according to the lawsuit.
When she tried to move towards Danish, a security guard placed her in a chair and strapped her to the chair, the suit states.
The lawsuit claims Danish was “trampled to death” in the crush of people.
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“Danish was a beloved son, brother, and partner. He died saving the love of his life, Olivia,” the lawsuit states. “Olivia and Basil will spend the rest of their lives living with the memory of Danish fighting to save Olivia’s life before losing his own. In time, Olivia and Basil’s physical wounds may heal. But the Baig’s and Olivia will never fully recover from the pain of knowing that their son, brother, and partner suffered a death as valiant as it was horrific.”
The Baig family is seeking in excess of $1,000,000 and not less than $200,000,000 in damages.
According to the lawsuit, Danish worked for AT&T and had been “financially supporting his parents “so they could transition comfortably into their twilight years,” the suit states.
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Danish and Olivia were high school sweethearts who grew up together, started jobs together and ultimately purchased a home and moved in together. The “close-knit” Baigs welcomed Olivia as a member of their family, the suit states.
“The Baig’s all looked forward to watching Danish become a father,” the lawsuit reads. “Olivia will never get to finish building the life she and Danish had worked hard to establish.”
Several lawsuits have been filed against Scott and festival organizers and a criminal investigation into the mass casualty event is ongoing. Scott, a Houston-native, launched the Astroworld festival in 2018.
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