Investigation underway after man found dead at ‘Burning Man’

A homicide investigation was underway after a man was found dead at the Burning Man festival in Northern Nevada Saturday night, the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

Around 9:15 p.m., a festivalgoer flagged down a deputy and told them there was a man “lying in a pool of blood,” the sheriff’s office said. The sheriff’s office and Bureau of Land Management rangers then responded to the campsite and found a man who they said was “obviously” dead on the ground, according to the press release.

Deputies and rangers blocked off the area and began investigating while also calling in the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Science Division for assistance, the press release said.

Several attendees were interviewed by law enforcement, and the area will continue to have a heavy police presence until the investigation concludes, the sheriff’s office said.

A Burning Man spokesperson said festival organizers are cooperating with law enforcement and the investigation. “The safety and well-being of our community are paramount,” the Burning Man statement said.

Authorities said the identity of the man was still unknown, though his body has been transported to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Law enforcement personnel were “preserving the integrity” of the investigation and the scene while they can as the Burning Man event was set to wrap up Monday and attendees would begin leaving the area soon, according to authorities.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office at 775-273-2641.

Contact Arlette Yousif at ayousif@reviewjournal.com and follow her on Instagram at @arletteyousif.