Victims In Meek Mill Concert Shooting Sue Rapper, Oakdale Theatre

Hartford Courant
Dave Altimari
May 23, 2017

The family of a New Haven man shot and killed following a Meek Mill rap concert at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in December filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the venue and the rapper.

Travis Ward was gunned down in the parking lot of the Wallingford facility on Dec. 30, 2016 as he was celebrating his 31st birthday with his family. Jaquan Graves, 20, also from New Haven was also killed. No arrests have been made.

Two others were injured including Nathan Mitchell, who also is a party in the lawsuit filed in Waterbury Superior Court by New Haven attorney Joel Faxon. Mitchell and Ward did not know each other.

The lawsuit alleges that Oakdale and concert promoters didn't provide enough security or take measures to control the crowd even though they were aware other Meek Mill's concerts had ended in gun violence.

"With song titles like 'body count' and 'oh kill'em' that praise indiscriminate killing and mayhem, the potential for tragic incidents like this should have been properly anticipated and planned for by Meek Mill, his concert promoters and the Oakdale Theatre," Faxon said Tuesday.

The lawsuit seeks more than $15,000 in damages. Ward was shot several times and died at the scene. He had attended the concert with family members celebrating his birthday. Mitchell was shot once in the right side.

The lawsuit claims that security for the concert was "grossly understaffed" and since the shooting Oakdale has significantly increased security but "far too late for Ward," the lawsuit said.

Meek Mill is a well-known rap artist. Violence has broken out at other concerts of his. In both Danbury and Wilmington, Del. there were shootings outside of the concert venue once the show ended.

"The venue security was grossly understaffed and ill-equipped to deal with the hazardous environment presented by any Meek Mill concert," Faxon said. "A strong police presence was required. They were innocent bystanders who ended up in a war zone."

The shooting occurred moments after the concert ended as people exited into the parking lot. Ward was apparently caught in the crossfire as shots rang out. Faxon said there was no evidence he was targeted and Ward didn't have a weapon.

Wallingford police interviewed several people who were at the concert with the victims. State Police recovered several shell casings but no weapons were found.

Meek Mill, whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, had been under house arrest for violating probation for the fourth time in eight years for a gun and drug conviction. Mill, who grew up in Philadelphia, lost his father and a cousin to gun violence.

A video posted on YouTube appears to show Meek Mill leaving the Oakdale when a shot is fired.

"Look, there's Meek," a male voice says, and then the shot is heard. A security guard approaches the person shooting video and tells him and his friends to get down.