Caitlin Clark has quickly become one of the most notable stars in college basketball. Her exceptional skills on the court have gained her numerous accolades and a dedicated fanbase. Let’s take a closer look at her career, personal life, and net worth.
Caitlin Clark’s Basketball Career
Caitlin Clark is a standout guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes. She has made a name for herself with her impressive scoring ability, playmaking, and leadership on the court. Since her freshman year, Clark has consistently displayed outstanding performance, earning herself various awards and honors, including being named a consensus All-American.
Her style of play is characterized by her exceptional three-point shooting, impressive court vision, and knack for scoring in high-pressure situations. This has made her one of the most exciting players to watch in college basketball.
Caitlin Clark’s Personal Life and Boyfriend
While Caitlin Clark has been open about her basketball career and dedication to the sport, she prefers to keep her personal life relatively private. There is little information available about her dating life or whether she currently has a boyfriend. It is not uncommon for athletes, particularly those in the public eye, to choose to keep their personal relationships private in order to focus on their careers.
Clark’s focus remains on her performance on the court and her academic studies. Fans appreciate her dedication and commitment to excelling both as a student and as an athlete.
Caitlin Clark’s Net Worth
Caitlin Clark’s net worth is difficult to estimate precisely, as it can be influenced by various factors such as endorsements, potential sponsorships, and her future career in professional basketball. Being a college athlete, Clark’s income opportunities may be limited, but with the recent changes in NCAA rules allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), she could benefit from brand partnerships and sponsorships.
As she progresses in her career, both at the college level and potentially in professional basketball, her net worth is likely to grow significantly. Clark’s talent and marketability suggest that she could become one of the most well-known and successful athletes in women’s basketball.
Caitlin Clark’s basketball career is marked by exceptional achievements and a promising future. While she keeps her personal life private, her focus remains on her performance and success on the court. As she continues to make waves in the sport, her net worth and influence are expected to rise.
Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft to the Indiana Fever, turned heads on the night when she walked the orange carpet in style with a full outfit from Prada.
The designer threads certainly weren’t cheap either.
Prada has never dressed anyone for the NBA or WNBA Draft until Monday night when Clark showed up most likely knowing she was heading to the Fever as the first overall pick following her illustrious college career at Iowa.
Business Insider saw the photos from the orange carpet appearance by Clark and determined her Prada outfit, including accessories, was worth almost $17,000.
First, Clark donned an embroidered rhinestone mesh crop top ($3,750), which was under a satin shirt ($5,500) and paired with a double satin miniskirt ($1,750). On her feet were black brushed leather slingback pumps that go for $1,200.
As for the accessories, Clark was holding a black Prada Galleria patent leather mini bag for $4,100, and had help blocking out the camera crews taking her picture with acetate sunglasses worth $575.
The entire look was put together by stylist Adri Zgirdea Toth, who told Marie Claire how “perfect” it was to dress Clark.
“Dressing an athlete for the draft is a first for Prada, and this is obviously a first for Caitlin, too. Both are at the forefront of what they do – it’s almost too perfect,” Toth explained.
Clark spoke to GQ Sports while walking the orange carpet, saying, “I love Prada. I think Prada is very me.”
While Clark’s outfit received tons of positive feedback as she celebrated her dream of going to the WNBA, some pointed out the fact that the fit costs about 22% of her rookie year salary ($16,875).
Clark’s four-year rookie deal is worth $338,056, according to the WNBA’s CBA. The CBA also states that the first four picks of the Draft — Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and Rickea Jackson were picked Nos. 2, 3 and 4 respectively after Clark — will make $76,535 in 2024. The numbers will increase to $78,066 in 2025, $85,873 in 2026, and if a fourth-year option is exercised in 2027, the price tag will be $97,582.
These numbers have caused social media debate, especially considering how much of a superstar Clark already has been over the past two seasons with the Hawkeyes on her way to breaking the NCAA’s all-time scoring record.
Of course, Clark and other WNBA rookies will have endorsements on their side. Clark’s name, image and likeness valuation at Iowa was valued at over $3 million, with deals including Nike, State Farm, Gatorade and Xfinity.
However, when comparing the eventual No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, who will get at least $10 million in guaranteed salary, it’s a big deal.
But while sports stars like Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson are calling for the WNBA to pay more, Clark’s words on Monday night showed her focus stays on the court, as she hopes to lead the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 next season
“Huge, smelly snake of seaweed headed toward the Caribbean.”
Though the headlines sound like something from a 1950s horror movie, sargassum — a type of seaweed — is a naturally occurring plant that, under normal circumstances, shouldn’t be a major cause of concern for beachgoers.
Does this year’s sargassum have the potential to sour your seaside vacation in the coming months? TPG spoke with oceanography experts to find out.
What is sargassum?
Sargassum is a large, brown seaweed — the common name for various species of marine plants and algae — that floats along the ocean’s surface.
In healthy amounts, sargassum is a critical habitat for sea creatures. Animals like small fish, crabs, mollusks and even young sea turtles hang out around patches of sargassum for shelter and because the smaller residents provide a food resource for the larger ones.
Sargassum is neither destructive nor harmful under normal circumstances, even when left unattended on beaches. When it accumulates in massive amounts, however, it can have a negative impact on the ecosystem and local economies.
Should you be concerned about sargassum in 2024?
Technically referred to as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, the annual sargassum bloom isn’t actually one continuous blob. Some patches can be miles long and tens of meters wide, while others can be more scattered and dispersed; together, they cover an area “several hundred miles wide across the Atlantic,” according to Sea Education Association professor of oceanography Jeffrey M. Schell.
If you recall, 2023 saw a record sargassum bloom measuring close to 200% larger than what was present in 2022. The larger bloom resulted in record levels of sargassum washing up on beaches in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. When conditions were at their worst, affected beaches could have meter-high sargassum piles covering the entire beach.
When sargassum is as thick and plentiful as last year, it can cause major trouble both at sea and on the beach.
“Large amounts of sinking sargassum can smother corals and seagrasses, while rotten sargassum smells bad and may cause respiratory problems to humans,” Yuyuan Xie — an oceanographer in the Optical Oceanography Laboratory at the University of South Florida whose laboratory works with the satellite-based Sargassum Watch System —
“On beaches, large amounts of rotten seaweed are harmful to animals and humans because they attract insects, harbor bacteria and smell quite bad as it decomposes,” Xie said.
Based on satellite imagery from a quarterly bulletin provided by The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies at The University of the West Indies, Barbados, there is about 40% less sargassum visible in the Atlantic Ocean than there was at this time last year.
“There is definitely sargassum out there, and it’s already starting to make its way into the Eastern Caribbean,” Schell said. “So even though the bloom is about 50% smaller than last year, those beaches in the Eastern Caribbean are probably seeing a fair amount of sargassum wash on the shore, though not as much as they had this time last year.”
Xie also noted that this year’s outlook is more favorable than last.
“So far, this year is better than last year, and this situation is likely to continue in the next few months,” Xie said. “Florida will be largely free of sargassum until at least late May.”
Should you cancel your upcoming beach vacation?
First and foremost, not every beach in a given area will be affected by this pernicious seaweed. Winds, currents and tides help determine where exactly sargassum will accumulate and wash ashore.
Although this year’s predictions are mild to moderate, some beachgoers will still see sargassum during their vacation.
“For islands in the Lesser Antilles, the windward sides are more likely to see some of that sargassum,” Schell said. “But it’s still at a medium level compared to the scale that they have been.”
Beaches along the eastern Caribbean Sea are already seeing some sargassum, but the southeast coast of Florida and the Florida Keys look to be in the clear until May, according to Xie.
While there’s still the possibility of sargassum on the beach during your vacation, the experts we spoke with promised this is not a reason to cancel your trip. Typically, not all beaches in an area will be affected, meaning you always have the option to pop over to a nearby beach.
“You should still go on vacation,” Schell said. “There may be some sargassum in the next couple of months, but not enough that it should be getting in your way.”
It may be difficult to determine which beaches will be affected and when, but an entire city or beach community should not be inundated with sargassum to the point that you can’t enjoy some fun in the sun. Be prepared to visit a variety of nearby beaches and plan a few alternate activities, like visiting an aquarium or botanical garden, as a backup plan.
What can be done to mitigate the problem?
Affected beach destinations also have cleanup initiatives to help keep their beaches looking beautiful and inviting to visitors.
“The local management agencies typically remove large amounts of seaweed from the beach before it decomposes,” Xie said.
“We’ve yet to find a silver bullet,” Schell said, “but sargassum can be collected at sea or on the beach. It is a habitat, though, so we have to be mindful and respectful of the animals who call sargassum home.”
The majority of current cleanup efforts focus on removing sargassum from the beach after it washes ashore; they use tools as simple as rakes and wheelbarrows in addition to more futuristic methods like beach-cleaning robots.
The issue then becomes what to do with it. Many beaches bury the sargassum under the sand to keep it from being a nuisance, but some creative cleanup initiatives are happening as well.
Fort Lauderdale has instituted a seaweed composting program that transforms seaweed into soil that can be used for city planting projects, saving the city tens of thousands of dollars annually.
The Rum & Sargassum program in St. James, Barbados, is creating an inexpensive, alternative fuel source for vehicles using locally sourced waste products like rum distillery wastewater, sheep manure and sargassum.
According to Schell, these innovations (and those that are still being developed) are a boon to cleanup efforts and the bottom line.
“The money involved in cleanup and the impact on local fishing activity and tourism has a tremendous economic impact on beach communities,” he said. “Any economic return found by creating a product it can be turned into can make a big difference.”
What’s in store for this year’s sargassum bloom?
Because sargassum undergoes seasonal growth cycles, some years are worse than others, and researchers are still trying to fully understand these cycles. They have observed that this year’s bloom may largely die off before it washes ashore because water temperatures are creeping higher.
“In the North Atlantic, the water is already two degrees warmer than we should be this time of the year,” Schell said.
Last year also saw warming water temperatures, leading the sargassum bloom to die off in June. Schell is predicting a similar cause and effect this year.
“My guess is that the bloom is going to die early. The temperatures are going to warm up too fast,” he said. “We are already seeing water temperatures around the bloom hit 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit), and the bloom will likely break up when we hit 30 degrees Celsius.”
Xie’s data backs this up. In the 2024 sargassum bloom outlook from the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, Xie and his colleagues noted that the total sargassum bloom has already decreased from 9 million metric tons in February to about 6.5 million metric tons in March.
They interpret this decline to mean that while levels are higher this year and last than in previous years, the coastal regions in the western Caribbean Sea should receive small to moderate amounts of sargassum by late April or early May; the southeast coast of Florida (including the Florida Keys) shouldn’t see much Sargassum until late May.
Shook up about sargassum? Don’t be.
Though some beaches are seeing sargassum wash ashore, levels are already proving to be much lower than the record-breaking amounts in 2023. Beach communities are well practiced in cleaning up seaweed, and researchers like Schell and Xie are hard at work understanding sargassum and how to minimize the problems it can cause.
It used to be that the conversation around subtropical marine life centered on declines: the death of coral beds, the diminishing variety of seagrasses, the disappearance of fish.
But for now, it’s an overabundance that’s hard to miss. From Montego to Miami, an influx of algae called sargassum is leaving stinky brown carpets over what was once prime tourist sand. It’s the most sargassum researchers have tracked this early in the year.
Deciding what to do with it is proving more challenging the more we learn about it — and inspiring some entrepreneurs to rethink removing sargassum altogether.
Wait, what is sargassum and why is it flourishing?
Sargassum is a type of buoyant, rootless algae that bunches up in islands and floats around the ocean.
Patches of sargassum have been spotted in the Atlantic Ocean for centuries, but since 2011, a 5,000-mile-long belt of the seaweed has circulated annually between the Gulf of Mexico and the mid-Atlantic.
The density of that belt’s clusters keeps increasing, possibly because modern agriculture techniques are sending more and more nutrients downstream and into the ocean.
Just this April, sargassum levels in the Caribbean Sea reached a new record, with the overall belt growing to an estimated 13 million tons, according to a bulletin from the University of South Florida Optical Oceanography lab.
And the top bloom season is still days away, with a peak likely to hit in June or July. If the past is precedent, the size of the belt in July could be double what it is in April, says Brian Barnes, a researcher at USF’s College of Marine Science.
It’s hard to predict what this could mean for beaches, especially in the eastern Atlantic where persistent clouds are obscuring the satellite views that Barnes and his team rely on.
But already, sargassum beachings are increasing, with the southern regions of Hispaniola, Jamaica and Puerto Rico looking likely to be the most impacted.
Ignoring it can be dangerous — and odorous
Once ashore, sargassum isn’t just unsightly or cumbersome to swim around — it stinks. The seaweed starts to decay within 24 hours of hitting the shore, releasing hydrogen sulfide and the smell of rotten eggs.
There’s some evidence to show that those gases can cause nausea and headaches or aggravate respiratory issues. In 2018, doctors on the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique reported more than 11,000 cases of “acute sargassum toxicity” during an eight-month period of intense beach buildup,
But even the smell alone can be costly.
Take the Florida city of Key West for example. Public Information Officer Alyson Crean says Key West isn’t even really a beach town, with the largest public beach stretching only about half a mile in length.
But a 2020 analysis found that 1 in 10 tourists say they’d either cancel or reschedule their trip to Key West if they knew sargassum was present. A bad sargassum year could leave a $20 million dent in the $2.4 billion Key West tourism industry, leading to a loss of about 300 jobs, according to the report.
Removing sargassum can also come with a high price tag
In places like Key West, removing sargassum from the beach is about the only option for dealing with it.
“Strict environmental laws say that the sargassum can’t be taken out of the water,” Crean says. And installing containment barriers in the water would be a “battle,” she says, because it takes “a long time” to get any permits approved by the state.
Closer ashore, sargassum can also pose a threat to local wildlife, smothering coral reefs and seagrasses. But in the open ocean, it can store carbon, the key driver of climate change. It can also serve as a prime habitat for sea turtles, fish and crustaceans.
So Key West waits for the seaweed to wash ashore. On summer mornings, a team of volunteers walk the beaches to check for trapped turtle hatchlings or signs of new nests, Crean says. After the all-clear, a contracted company uses heavy equipment to rake the sargassum off the beach.
It’s a routine that costs the city about $1 million annually, and Key West is prepared to pull more funding from a reserve stash if necessary, Crean says.
Other coastal locales are following suit. Nearby Miami-Dade County, which spent more than $3.9 million on sargassum cleanup last year, is asking the state for an additional $2 million.
What happens to all that sargassum when it’s removed from the beach?
Removing sargassum is only one challenge; disposing of it is another entirely.
Crean says that the company Key West contracts with donates sargassum to farmers to use as fertilizer. In Mexico, it’s trucked inland to rot in the jungle, reports National Geographic.
But options for processing or decomposing the seaweed may become costlier as the field of sargassum study grows.
Researcher Brian Lapointe told NPR last month that new research suggests decomposing sargassum may leach heavy metals into its surrounding environment.
One study that examined sargassum along beaches in Mexico found that 86% of samples had arsenic levels that were higher than the U.N.’s limit for livestock feed — one repurposing idea that was explored earlier on.
So can we do anything at all?
Some companies are still trying to get creative, experimenting with turning sargassum into biofuel, construction material or even medicinal products.
One of the more promising ideas takes a two-birds-one-stone approach: Sinking sargassum to prevent it from releasing carbon, which would help fight climate change.
The U.K. startup Seaweed Generation is building an autonomous robot that could intercept sargassum patches close to shore, drag them back out to the open ocean and force them to sink to a depth of 1,000 meters, effectively trapping the carbon in the ocean.
“It’s a bit like a seaweed Roomba,” the company’s CEO, Paddy Estridge, told NPR. “It goes through the water very very slowly and, a bit like Pac-Man, scoops up the seaweed.” Then it dives down and offloads the biomass around 200 meters deep, where the air pods that keep the sargassum afloat pop, sending the mass to a watery grave.
The so-called AlgaRay is still in pilot phases, funded by venture capitalists. But if successful, a fully fledged model could be ready to operate next year, submerging as much as 15 tons of sargassum in a single trip.
Until then, the best option for an individual concerned with sargassum may well be patience — or avoidance.
Barnes, the researcher who tracks sargassum with satellite images, says there’s no point in, say, canceling your beach vacation, even if you know the local government isn’t doing daily cleanup.
“The effects are very, very local,” he said. “You’ll see a huge, unbelievable amount of sargassum in one little bay, but if you look past that into the next bay, there’s absolutely no sargassum.”
If you’re really worried, though, he suggests maybe taking a cue from the researchers, keeping a close eye on where blooms are creeping close to shore.
The warm waters and picturesque beaches of Florida, especially the Florida Keys, attract visitors from around the world. However, these idyllic landscapes are occasionally marred by large masses of sargassum seaweed, which can accumulate on the shoreline and impact beachgoers’ experiences. As we approach 2024, the concern about when sargassum seaweed will hit Florida and the Florida Keys intensifies.
Understanding Sargassum Seaweed
Sargassum is a type of brown seaweed that floats in large masses on the ocean’s surface. Originating in the Sargasso Sea, these floating islands of seaweed are an essential part of the marine ecosystem, providing habitat and food for marine life. However, when sargassum travels across the Atlantic and reaches the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, it can create challenges for coastal areas.
Sargassum in the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys, renowned for their vibrant coral reefs and crystal-clear waters, are especially vulnerable to sargassum accumulation due to their location and the ocean currents that bring the seaweed closer to shore. In recent years, the Keys have experienced periodic surges of sargassum, prompting concerns among residents, business owners, and tourists alike.
The Sargassum Blob
In 2024, researchers anticipate a substantial sargassum seaweed blob, colloquially known as the “Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt,” will continue its journey across the Atlantic towards Florida. The blob’s movements are influenced by several factors, including ocean currents, winds, and temperature.
Predictions for Sargassum in 2024
While it is difficult to predict the exact timing of sargassum’s arrival in Florida in 2024, researchers and oceanographers use satellite imagery and historical data to provide estimates. Based on these data sources, significant sargassum influxes could occur during the warmer months, such as spring and summer, when the currents are more likely to bring the seaweed toward the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Keys.
Impact on the Environment and Tourism
The presence of sargassum can pose challenges for local ecosystems and human activities. On the one hand, it can disrupt the natural balance of the shoreline, impact marine life, and contribute to unpleasant odors as it decomposes. On the other hand, its accumulation can negatively affect tourism, a major industry in Florida, by discouraging beachgoers and reducing water quality.
Managing Sargassum in the Florida Keys
Communities and local authorities in the Florida Keys have been working to manage sargassum and mitigate its effects. This includes regular monitoring, removal efforts, and community engagement to address the influxes of seaweed. Additionally, scientists are exploring potential uses for the collected sargassum, such as converting it into biofuel or agricultural fertilizer.
As Florida and the Florida Keys brace for the potential arrival of the sargassum seaweed blob in 2024, proactive management and innovative approaches will be essential to minimize the impact on local ecosystems, tourism, and the economy. While the natural phenomenon of sargassum is a recurring challenge, it also presents an opportunity for creative solutions and sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and the communities along Florida’s coast.
Seaweed blooms are a natural occurrence in marine ecosystems, but when they grow excessively, they can become a significant problem for coastal regions. In recent years, the Florida coastline has experienced an increase in seaweed washing ashore, particularly Sargassum, a type of floating seaweed common in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Here’s an overview of the situation and an outlook on when seaweed may hit Florida’s shores:
Understanding Sargassum Blooms
Sargassum is a brown algae that forms floating mats on the ocean’s surface. It is essential for marine life, providing habitat and food for various species. However, when it grows excessively, the mats can break apart and wash ashore, creating a host of problems:
Environmental Impact: Excessive seaweed on beaches can suffocate marine life and disrupt coastal ecosystems.
Tourism Impact:
Large amounts of seaweed can detract from the natural beauty of Florida’s beaches, affecting tourism and local businesses.
Health Concerns: Decomposing seaweed can release hydrogen sulfide, a gas with a strong odor, potentially affecting air quality.
Factors Contributing to Seaweed Blooms
Several factors influence the growth and movement of Sargassum:
Ocean Currents:
Currents in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico play a significant role in the distribution and movement of seaweed mats.
Nutrient Levels: Increased nutrients in the water, often due to agricultural runoff and pollution, can promote excessive seaweed growth.
Weather Patterns: Winds and storms can impact the movement and deposition of seaweed along the coast.
Predicting Seaweed Arrivals
Predicting when seaweed will hit Florida’s coast can be challenging due to the complex interplay of oceanographic and meteorological factors. However, scientists use satellite imagery and ocean current models to monitor and forecast the movement of seaweed. These forecasts help coastal communities prepare for potential influxes of seaweed.
Recent Trends and Outlook
In recent years, Florida has seen an uptick in Sargassum blooms during the spring and summer months. As temperatures rise and ocean currents shift, seaweed can become more prevalent along the coast. Given current trends, it is likely that seaweed will continue to wash ashore during these seasons.
Preparing for Seaweed Arrivals
Coastal communities in Florida are taking proactive measures to manage seaweed influxes:
Beach Cleanup: Regular beach cleaning operations help clear the shore of seaweed.
Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of seaweed movement allows for better preparation and response.
Research: Ongoing research aims to better understand Sargassum blooms and find sustainable solutions.
While it is challenging to predict with certainty when seaweed will hit Florida’s coast, it is clear that excessive seaweed blooms are a recurring issue, especially during the warmer months. Ongoing monitoring and proactive measures can help mitigate the impact of seaweed on Florida’s coastal regions. As research continues, we may gain more insights into how to manage and prevent excessive seaweed blooms in the future.
A Memphis, Tennessee, police officer and an 18-year-old male suspect were killed during an early morning shootout– with the deceased suspect having been arrested last month with an illegal weapon and subsequently let go without bond, law enforcement officials say.
A second officer was also struck and is in non-critical condition while a third officer was grazed by a bullet during the gunfire. A second suspect, a 17-year-old, was also shot and is expected to survive, police say.
Officer Joseph McKinney, who joined the department in 2020, was shot dead when police responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle at Horn Lake Road and Charter Avenue in Whitehaven, about nine miles south of Downtown Memphis, Interim Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis announced during an emotional press briefing Friday.
When officers approached the dark-colored sedan, they were fired upon by the two suspects inside the vehicle, Davis said.
Police immediately returned fire and the pair sped off in the car only to stop a short time later in the area of the 400 block of Hewlitt Road as officers gave chase.
One of the suspects was immediately apprehended while the other ran off but was later caught nearby, Davis said.
The suspects were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition and the 18-year-old was later pronounced dead, Davis said. The pair have not been identified.
She said that McKinney was also struck and succumbed to his injuries.
“We have a wife that’s grieving now,” Davis said. “We have the family of the suspects that are grieving now.”
“The men and women of the Memphis Police Department are hurt right now. As chief of police, I am hurt right now,” Davis said. “Once again, senseless deaths in our community by gun violence.”
Video from the scene shows the suspects’ vehicle riddled with bullet holes, with the rear window glass shattered.
Davis revealed that the 18-year-old who died had been arrested inside a stolen vehicle last month where he was armed with a modified semi-automatic weapon with a Glock switch attached.
“The Glock switch converted the weapon to a fully automatic machine gun,” David said.
He was also charged at that time with two stolen vehicles and having a programming device commonly used to steal cars, Davis said, and was released without bond.
In 2023, the city recorded a record-breaking 398 homicides.
Authorities said multiple people were injured after a commercial motor vehicle crashed into a Department of Public Safety office in Brenham, Texas.
Texas DPS said the crash occurred at the morning when an 18-wheeler was being pursued by a law enforcement agency. The driver is in custody.
“We can confirm that the Texas Rangers are investigating this incident. A suspect has been arrested and there is no further threat to the community,” DPS officials said.
A Washington County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told Fox News that police are investigating reports that the truck was stolen in nearby Chappell Hill and the driver went to the DPS office on purpose because their commercial driver’s license was denied there on Thursday.
At least 16 people are reported to be injured, with three in critical condition.
“We believe this is a criminal act,” County Sheriff Otto Hanak told reporters.
Rapper Drake has been dismissed from a lawsuit brought over the Astroworld festival tragedy, in which 10 concertgoers died.
The families of those killed in a crush at the gig, along with hundreds who were injured, sued Drake, fellow rap star Travis Scott and promotor Live Nation as well as other individuals and companies, alleging they were responsible for the crowd surge.
Drake made a guest appearance during Scott’s headlining set at the festival in Houston, Texas, on 5 November 2021.
As the crowd surged, revellers were packed so tightly that many could not breathe or move their arms or legs.
Those killed, who ranged in age from nine to 27, died from compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car.
During a court hearing in Houston on Wednesday, state District Judge Kristen Hawkins dismissed Drake, whose full name is Aubrey Drake Graham, from the case.
Lawyers for the Canadian rapper argued during an earlier hearing he was not involved in putting the concert together so was not liable for the deaths and injuries.
During a deposition he gave in November in Toronto, he said in the moments before he took to the stage, no one told him that people in the crowd were suffering cardiac arrests or other injuries.
Drake said when he was on stage, the crowd looked like a blur and he could not make out any details.
On Monday, Ms Hawkins dismissed seven companies and individuals who had been sued.
But she denied motions to dismiss filed by 10 other companies and individuals, including Apple, which produced a livestream of the concert, and two firms linked to Scott.
Ms Hawkins was set to hear other motions to dismiss, including one related to Scott as an individual, on Monday.
Following an investigation by Houston Police, no charges were filed against Scott.
A grand jury in June declined to indict him and five other people on any criminal counts related to the deadly concert. Police Chief Troy Finner has not revealed the overall conclusion of their investigation.
Last July, the police department made public its nearly 1,300-page investigative report in which festival workers highlighted problems and warned of possible deadly consequences.
The first trial from the lawsuits is scheduled for 6 May.
Some of the lawsuits have since been settled, including those filed by the families of four of the people killed during the gig.
The family of Hall of Fame running back O.J. Simpson announced that the former Buffalo Bills star died after battling prostate cancer, prompting reactions from around the NFL community. He was 76.
Simpson, whose illustrious NFL career was overshadowed by the trial and eventual acquittal in the 1994 killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, passed away, his family confirmed in a statement posted on X.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”
The family asked for “privacy and grace” during this “time of transition.”
Several members of the NFL community took to social media with their reactions.
Pro Football Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a brief statement to Front Office Sports, “O.J. Simpson was the first player to reach a rushing mark many thought could not be attained in a 14-game season when he topped 2,000 yards. His on-field contributions will be preserved in the Hall’s archives in Canton, Ohio.”
Simpson was drafted by the Bills with the first overall pick out of USC in 1969. He led the league in rushing four times from 1972 to 1976, during which time he was voted league MVP in 1973.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
After his career had ended, Simpson was embroiled in a murder trial following a June 1994 arrest in connection with the brutal slayings of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. Simpson was 46 years old at the time.
His status as an accused double murderer rocked the country, and his courtroom trials captivated households. His fall from grace continued throughout the mid-90s and early 2000s.
He was later acquitted in 1995, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable in 1997 for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million to family members of Brown and Goldman.
