What started as a hyped-up night for a Rod Wave concert has turned into a legal headache for Sacramento. Three new lawsuits were filed this week claiming city officials and arena operators dropped the ball on crowd safety when fireworks were mistaken for gunshots outside the Golden 1 Center, triggering a chaotic stampede through the Downtown Commons plaza.
According to The Sacramento Bee, two of the lawsuits were filed by Los Angeles-based attorney David Garcia against the City of Sacramento and Sacramento Downtown Arena LLC. A third complaint was brought by Del Rio & Caraway, P.C. All three cases were lodged this week in Sacramento Superior Court, the outlet reports.
How the scene unfolded
On Oct. 25, 2024, fans waiting to get into the Rod Wave show bolted when loud bursts rang out in the Downtown Commons plaza. Investigators later determined the sounds were fireworks, not gunfire. As reported by CBS Sacramento, the sudden panic toppled metal detectors and barricades, and emergency crews treated multiple people at the scene.
What the lawsuits allege
Per The Sacramento Bee, the Garcia complaints argue that Golden 1 stayed closed for roughly two hours after the scheduled start time, which left thousands of concertgoers stuck outside and allegedly created hazardous overcrowding. The Del Rio & Caraway filing says attendees were “knocked down, stepped on and trampled,” and points to radio dispatches describing what an officer called a “count of a hundred” people fleeing.
The Bee reports that city spokesperson Jennifer Singer said the Sacramento Kings limited partnership “continues to be a good partner” and has “accepted the defense of both cases.”
Legal stakes
The lawsuits are civil actions now pending in Sacramento Superior Court. Plaintiffs are seeking damages for physical and emotional injuries, and the cases are expected to move through discovery and motion practice in the coming months. At the center of the filings is a renewed scrutiny of crowd management and coordination at DOCO, where outdoor lines and entry bottlenecks are key to the plaintiffs’ claims…