Ashlea Schwarz of PAUL LLP and Charla Aldous of Aldous Law spoke to media about the lawsuit filed on behalf of participants and attendees injured during a chaotic crowd crush during a March 2025  Varsity Spirit hosted cheerleading competition at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.  

According to the lawsuit, “hundreds of people” were injured during a chaotic crowd stampede, sparked by initial claims of gunfire in the hall. Injuries included parents and children being trampled and suffering broken bones, concussions, and brain bleeds.   

“It really doesn’t matter what started the panic,” Charla Aldous told Fox 4 KDFW. “What matters is the chaos and crowd crush happened because Varsity and the convention center were not prepared. And that resulted in the injuries these people suffered.” 

“This wasn’t a little something. This was mass chaos,” Ashlea Schwarz told CBS News Texas. “You had parents separated from their kids for hours. You had a facility that had no plan for reunification in place. People had no idea where they would go to find their children.”   

This case has garnered widespread media attention, including: 

• CBS News Texas: “Lawsuit Filed After Chaotic Evacuation, Injuries at Cheer Competition in Dallas” 

• Fox 4 KDFW: “Dallas Cheer Competition Evacuation Victims Sue Varsity Spirit, Kay Bailey Hutchison Center”  

• WFAA: “Families Sue Over Panic at NCA Cheer Competition in Dallas, Alleging Lack of Security and Planning” 

• NBCDFW: “Lawsuit Says Hundreds Hurt After Fight Leads to Stampede at Dallas Cheer Competition” 

• KSDK St. Louis: “St. Charles County Mom Breaks Nose, Families Describe Chaotic Dallas Cheer Competition: