The first claim for pain and suffering was not long in coming: two days after the mass panic during a performance by rapper Travis Scott at the Astroworld music festival in Texas, in which at least eight people died and around 300 more people were injured, a fan filed a lawsuit on Sunday .

According to the complaint, Kristian Paredes is demanding at least one million dollars from Scott and the rapper Drake who has appeared with him, the organizer Live Nation Entertainment and the stadium operator.

Thousands in front of the stage

The 23-year-old Texan, who allegedly sustained permanent injuries, accuses the musicians of spurring the audience on. The organizers and stadium operators have also failed to ensure adequate security measures despite more than 50,000 visitors. After the accident on Saturday night, eyewitnesses reported how thousands crowded in front of the stage in the minutes before Scott's performance. When the audience panicked and ran over tripped fans on the way to the exit, the rapper and his guest Drake are said to have continued to play.

Some visitors later shared observations on social media of desperate rescue attempts by allegedly poorly trained emergency services.

"The deaths and injuries are due to the negligence, carelessness and recklessness of the defendants and their employees," said Paredes' lawsuit in the Harris District Court.

As the New York Times reported, the Houston police chief, Troy Finner, is said to have visited Scott in his trailer shortly before the performance to warn him of a possible mass panic.

The 30-year-old rapper, who was born in the Texan city and organized the Astroworld 2018 festival in his hometown for the first time, reportedly defied the warning.

Previous security breaches

Scott, whose real name is Jacques Berman Webster, has had to answer legally in the past for concerts that got out of hand. Six years ago, the singer and producer was arrested in Chicago for asking the audience to break the barriers to join him on stage. Two years later, California entrepreneur Kylie Jenner's partner was charged again with public safety violations for urging fans to storm the stage during a performance in Arkansas. Both incidents resulted in convictions for the rapper ("franchise").

After the mass panic in Houston, Jenner defended the father of her daughter Stormi, who is expecting the second child.

"I just want to make it clear that we only found out about the deaths after the appearance from the news," the twenty-four-year-old countered allegations on Instagram on Sunday that Scott continued to play undeterred.

The rapper had already published some black and white videos on Saturday in which he promised to help identify the victims and help with the investigation.

"I'm devastated," said Scott.

"My fans mean everything to me."