The settlement was reached ahead of the June 1 trial.
SEATTLE — Live Nation settled a lawsuit with the families of two women shot and killed during the 2023 Beyond Wonderland festival at The Gorge Amphitheater.
The undisclosed settlement with the families of Brandy Escamilla, 29, and Josilyn Ruiz, 26, was filed May 20. The settlement was reached ahead of the June 1 trial.
The suspect, James M. Kelly, who was an active member of the U.S. military at the time, remains in custody for the shooting that also injured several others. The settlement only pertains to the families of Escamilla and Ruiz.
The lawsuit was filed in King County on April 11, 2024, alleged the event organizers and security had “inadequate, unreasonable, and egregiously deficient conduct and security.” The lawsuit stated Live Nation “woefully fell short” in enforcing its prohibition of drugs and weapons policies at the event, and claims that the company has known for years about illicit drugs and weapons at its events.
The Gorge Amphitheater is managed by Live Nation, which acquired the venue in 2006.
According to court documents, Kelly was attending the Beyond Wonderland music festival on June 17, 2023, with his girlfriend when he had a dose of “shrooms” and started having hallucinations. Kelly started to think the world was ending. His girlfriend told authorities that Kelly said, “This is the end,” and went to grab a gun from his car, according to court documents.
During the hallucination, court documents indicated Kelly fired multiple shots at Ruiz and Escamilla, who were walking in the area of the campground. The two women died at the scene. They were both nurses in Seattle and were engaged.
Kelly is also accused of shooting and injuring a 31-year old man and then eventually shooting his own girlfriend. Both of those victims were hospitalized and survived. He is also accused of firing shots at three private security officers, one of them was struck. That security officer was able to be treated at the scene.
Investigators said Kelly also fired shots at a Grant County aerial vehicle while it was airborne before he was found in an agricultural field near the campground. He was taken into custody.
Kelly is charged with charged with two counts of premeditated murder, as well as one specification of attempted premeditated murder, three specifications of assault with intent to murder, three specifications of domestic violence, and two specifications of the use and possession of psilocybin.
He previously pleaded not guilty and is currently being held at the correctional facility on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where all court proceedings will occur.
Kelly’s trial is scheduled to begin in January next year.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
