Authorities have launched a homicide investigation after a man was discovered dead in a “pool of blood” at Burning Man festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
The grisly scene unfolded on Sunday (August 31) around 9PM, just as the festival’s towering wooden effigy, known as the “Man", was set ablaze in front of thousands of attendees.
According to The New York Post, a festival goer flagged down a Pershing County sheriff’s deputy to report seeing “a male subject lying in a pool of blood".
The man, described by officials as a single white adult male, was “obviously deceased” and pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim's body was taken to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office. His identity has not yet been released, per The Independent.
Local deputies, Bureau of Land Management rangers, and Burning Man’s own Black Rock Rangers quickly created a perimeter around the site and interviewed several participants in the immediate area. Authorities confirmed the incident is being investigated as a homicide.
The sheriff’s office warned that while the act appears to be a "singular crime," all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances.
They also noted the investigation is “complicated,” as the temporary city erected for the annual festival “will be gone by the middle of the week”.
The area surrounding the death will remain gated off as authorities continue their work. “This process is still ongoing, and the portion of the ‘City’ where this occurred will have heavy law enforcement presence until the scene can be released,” the sheriff’s office added.
The festival organizers also released a statement, stressing that they are cooperating fully with law enforcement.
"The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office will be the primary source of further information. If you are in Black Rock City, do not interfere with law enforcement activity,” they wrote.
They added: “The safety and well-being of our community are paramount. Participants have access to free public WiFi at the 3 and 9 o’clock plazas, Playa Info (near Center Camp), Ranger HQ (Esplanade & 6:30), at the Emergency Services Department station at 5:15 & Esplanade, and in Center Camp should they need to communicate with loved ones.”
The festival brings tens of thousands of people together to build a temporary city in the desert. It began last Sunday and is set to end on Monday.
This year’s edition has already been marred by dust storms, heavy rain, and one attendee named Kayla Thompson, who unexpectedly gave birth on-site before being rushed to the hospital.
Per The Independent, a sharp pain woke Thompson, 37, up, and she initially feared she was coming down with a severe illness or even suffering from appendicitis. But as cramps overtook her, it became clear she needed medical attention.
The woman and her husband, Kasey, began shouting for help, and minutes later, their lives changed forever: they were no longer just Burners, but parents.
Thompson, who did not know she was pregnant, welcomed a three-pound nine-ounce baby girl in the RV's bathroom. The couple rushed to a medical tent, where staff informed them that, due to limited space, only the newborn could be airlifted to a hospital.
The baby was flown out, while Thompson and her husband began the long journey to Reno by car. Once they finally arrived, doctors confirmed their daughter was in good health.
"She was safe and sound, and I was so thrilled,” the mother said, the New York Times reported.