The Congress Committee has started an investigation into the Astroworld Organizer Live Nation, the event that led to the deaths of 10 people.
According to People magazine, the House Oversight Committee, on Wednesday announced that it will launch a bipartisan probe into what led to the deaths of 10 people at Astroworld last month after sending Michael Rapino, CEO of LiveNation, a letter informing him of the investigation.
Live Nation-- the organizers has since said it will cooperate with the said investigation.
"Concert attendees have provided firsthand accounts of being crushed within the crowd as it surged towards the stage. Live Nation Entertainment (Live Nation) was the concert promoter reportedly responsible for 'planning, staffing, putting up the money, securing permits, finding vendors, communicating with local agencies,' for Astroworld Festival," the letter obtained by People magazine read.
The letter referred to reports that "raise serious concerns" about whether the company "took adequate steps" to keep the crowd safe.
The letter also referred to reports that despite the fact that law enforcement began responding to a "mass casualty event" at 9:38 P.M., the concert did not end until 10:10 P.M.
"We are also concerned by reports about Live Nation's conduct following AstroworldFestival. Live Nation and its subsidiary reportedly have withheld pay until part-time employees who worked the festival have signed a revised employment contract, correcting the original version signed prior to the festival that was dated 2018," the letter read.
"The revision makes it clear that the contract, which includes a broad provision releasing Live Nation from liability, applies to the 2021 festival," the statement in the letter notes.
The committee also stated that Astroworld Festival was not the first in a "long line of other tragic events," referring to the death of seven people at a concert in Indiana and the brain injury of a concert staffer from a forklift in 2013.
"We are deeply saddened by the deaths that occurred at Astroworld Festival and are committed to investigating what went wrong to inform possible reforms that could prevent future tragedies," the letter read.
The committee also asked Live Nation to respond to a set of questions by January 7, 2022.
The committee also requested Live Nation to attend a briefing on January 12. The letter was signed by members Carolyn Maloney, Al Green, Bill Pascrell, Jr, James Comer, and Kevin Brady.
People magazine informed that Maloney is Chairwoman of the Committee and Congressman Comer is Ranking Member of the committee.
In an official statement to People magazine, the company said, "We are assisting local authorities in their investigation and will of course share information with the Committee as well."
They further said, "Safety is core to live events and Live Nation engages in detailed security planning in coordination with local stakeholders including law enforcement, fire, and EMT professionals. We are heartbroken by the events at Astroworld and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of the victims."
For the unversed, this letter comes about a week after the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences confirmed that all 10 victims of the Astroworld Festival had died of "compression asphyxia."
The victims also included a nine-year-old kid and a 14-year-old teen.
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