Rod Wave Concert Stampede Spurs Legal Action
Rod Wave’s concert in Sacramento, which left five people injured, including a 6-year-old child, has resulted in legal action against the venue that hosted the event.
The plaintiffs, all Nevada residents, claim they were trampled during a chaotic scene outside Golden 1 Center on October 25, 2024, after fireworks were mistaken for gunfire.
The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento Superior Court, alleges that the arena’s management failed to control the crowd and allowed dangerous overcrowding near the venue’s entrance.
Attorney Sean Shriver, who represents the group, said the incident caused “severe physical and emotional injuries” to his clients. The group includes a child who is being represented by a legal guardian.
The complaint does not name the City of Sacramento, which co-owns the arena, but targets the facility’s operators for what the plaintiffs describe as gross negligence in managing the crowd.
According to the Sacramento Bee, the plaintiffs were waiting outside the venue when fireworks went off, triggering panic among concertgoers who believed shots had been fired.
The resulting stampede led to several people being knocked to the ground and trampled. The lawsuit alleges that the venue failed to implement proper crowd control measures or provide adequate security to prevent the chaos.
The incident occurred just before Rod Wave was scheduled to perform as part of his “Nostalgia Tour.”
According to the filing, the plaintiffs were not inside the arena when the stampede happened but were caught in the crowd outside the entrance.
The lawsuit comes amid growing scrutiny of crowd safety at large-scale events.
Similar concerns were raised after the Astroworld tragedy in 2021, where 10 people died during a crowd surge at Travis Scott’s festival in Houston.
While no fatalities were reported in the Sacramento incident, the plaintiffs say the emotional and physical toll has been long-lasting.
The suit seeks unspecified damages for medical costs, trauma and other losses.