RENO, Nev. – Authorities are investigating a possible homicide at Burning Man after a man was discovered dead in a “pool of blood” during the iconic desert festival.
The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies were alerted around 9:14 p.m. on August 30, just as thousands of attendees prepared for the burning of the towering wooden Man effigy. A participant flagged down a deputy after stumbling upon the victim.
“Deputies and the Bureau of Land Management immediately responded to the campsite and found a single white adult male lying on the ground, obviously deceased,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement released on August 31.
Authorities have not yet identified the victim, and no details about the cause of death have been made public. Investigators emphasized that the incident appeared to be an isolated crime but urged attendees to remain alert.
“The portion of the City where the incident occurred will have a heavy law enforcement presence until the scene is released,” the sheriff’s office noted. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is assisting in the case.
Festival organizers also issued a statement reminding participants to avoid interfering with law enforcement. “The safety and well-being of our community are paramount,” Burning Man officials said.
Previous deaths at Burning Man
While fatalities have occurred at Burning Man over the decades, this marks what appears to be the first homicide investigation at the event since it began in the Black Rock Desert in 1990. Past tragedies include:
- 1996: Michael Fury, a San Francisco resident, was killed in a motorcycle accident just outside the gates.
- 2003: Katherine Lampman, of San Mateo, died after being struck by an art car; the same year, pilot Barry Jacobs died after a crash landing attempt.
- 2007: DJ Jermaine “Jerm” Barley died by suicide inside a tent.
- 2014: Alicia Cipicchio was fatally struck by an art car.
- 2018: Aaron Joel Mitchell died after running into the flames of the Man effigy.
- 2023: Leon Reece, of Truckee, California, died from suspected drug intoxication.
- 2024: Kendra Frazer, 39, died of an asthma attack during last year’s festival.
A city in the desert
Each year, more than 70,000 attendees flock to the Black Rock Desert northeast of Reno, Nevada, where they construct a temporary city dedicated to art, music, and radical self-expression. The festival culminates with two major burns: the wooden Man structure and the Temple.
This year’s violent death has shaken the community, with festival-goers being urged to remain cautious as the homicide investigation continues.
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