Man is found dead at annual Burning Man festival in Nevada, a sheriff’s office says

Vehicles line up to leave the Burning Man festival in Black Rock Desert, Nev., Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Barron)

RENO, Nevada — A man found dead in a pool of blood is being investigated as a homicide at the annual Burning Man art and music festival in the northwestern Nevada desert, authorities say.

Authorities were alerted about the man Saturday at the gathering in the Black Rock Desert about 110 miles (175 kilometres) north of Reno.

Deputies along with rangers from the Bureau of Land Management responded and “found a single white adult male lying on the ground, obviously deceased,” the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Sunday.

The investigation has included interviewing several participants and cordoning off a perimeter in the area where the body was found in the makeshift encampment called Black Rock City. The identity of the dead male was not immediately known, the sheriff’s office said. No other information was released.

The body was taken to a medical examiner’s office.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said it appears to be a singular crime but urged everyone at the festival to be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances. The festival ends on Monday.

Burning Man officials said in a statement that they are co-operating with law enforcement and asked participants in Black Rock City to not interfere with their investigation.

“The safety and well-being of our community are paramount,” the statement said. It noted that support services, including a crisis support team, are available and participants have access to free Wi-Fi If they need to communicate with loved ones.

The annual gathering in the Black Rock Desert attracts tens of thousands of artists, musicians and activists each year for a mix of wilderness camping and avant-garde performances, highlighted by the burning of a large wooden effigy of a man.

The Associated Press