Inside The Shocking Claims Of An Astroworld Security Guard
In the days following the tragedy at Travis Scott's Astroworld festival, where eight people died and hundreds more were injured due to a stampede, security personnel who survived the chaos are shedding more light on what transpired. According to Darius Williams, who had been hired to be onboard as security staff, there were inadequacies that he observed from the company Contemporary Services Corp — at least with regards to training.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Williams shared that the staff was asked to take a state licensing exam meant for Level 2 security personnel prior to the event, which involved questions about physical force. However, he revealed to TMZ that it was practically an "open book test." There had been a teacher on-site, but per Williams, "he was actually giving us the answers as we were going through the books ourselves and trying to hurry up and fill out the answers."
What's even more mind-boggling is that Williams — by his own admission — is barely qualified to fulfill the role of security personnel, much less one responsible with overseeing thousands of people. "If you look at my resume, I only have hospitality and retail experience," he revealed. "It felt like they just needed bodies, like they were hiring anyone who passed a background test. They even increased the bonus they were offering." When he arrived at the venue the day of the event, he felt uncomfortable as everything seemed "crazy and super-rushed," leading him to decide to ditch his post altogether.
Astroworld security personnel makes troubling claims
While Williams and other security staff were offered bonuses, the job posting obtained by TMZ only offered a mere $10.10 to $13 per hour, only a little over the Texas minimum wage of $7.25. He told Rolling Stone that they were promised a bonus of $40 per day, which was then upped to $120 if they worked both days of the Astroworld festival. Given the history of chaos at Travis Scott shows — and the life or death conditions present at Astroworld — that arguably seems like paltry compensation. Not to mention, ZipRecruiter noted the "average annual pay" for a concert security guard is $22. But every state is different and in Texas, the average is $15, the site noted. Of course, the pay can vary based on experience and whether the guard is armed.
As for Jackson Bush, he was promised a $17 per hour wage that would be paid through Cash App. In an interview with News Nation Now, Bush, who has never been to a concert and whose sole security experience only involved sitting outside a bank, divulged that when he was hired, he allegedly was not asked for his ID, phone number, resume, or any certification. He also claimed that he was hired via text message. "I don't believe I was prepared," Bush said. "I believe if we were all prepared the right way, that stuff would not have happened the way it did. Honestly, even with the amount of people that passed and went unconscious... the amount of injuries could have been avoided." As of writing, Bush has yet to be compensated.