HOUSTON — Houston was still shaken 72 hours since Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival turned deadly.
Two key questions are still swirling:
- How could this happen?
- Who is to blame?
The FBI has joined a criminal investigation that is working to get to the bottom of it.
"There's no question these kids were put in harm's way," KHOU legal analyst Carmen Roe said. "Now, who's to blame will be the ultimate question here."
That question could lead down different roads.
"There's a long list of entities that might be responsible for the tragedy that occurred Friday evening," UH Law Center Professor Meredith Duncan said.
Duncan said planning an event as large as Astroworld Festival involves many key players. That means there are many possibilities for criminal liability.
Concert promoter Live Nation, owners and operators of the NRG Park venue, independent contractors at the event, even Travis Scott himself, could be targets of the criminal probe.
With eight people dead, Duncan said the public will demand accountability.
"We need to figure out who's responsible for this," Duncan said. "We can't just let this pass."
Investigators will have plenty to sift through, including thousands of cell phone videos that captured the chaos that night. Live Nation's past safety issues, coupled with Scott's own history of inciting crowds at his concerts will likely play a part in the investigation.
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While law enforcement pieces it all together, expect civil lawsuits to keep piling up.
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"I know people want quick answers," Duncan said. "They want to hold someone accountable for this, but it will take some time."
Possible charges that could apply in these types of cases are things like reckless endangerment or even something like criminally negligent homicide.
It will all ultimately depend on where the evidence leads.
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