Burning Man attendee found dead in ‘a pool of blood’ as massive wooden effigy was being torched, murder probe underway

The Burning Man attendee's body was found when a festival goer flagged down a sheriff’s deputy and claimed they saw “a male subject lying in a pool of blood."

A man was discovered dead in a “pool of blood” at the Burning Man festival Saturday night, August 30. He was found just as a huge human-shaped wooden effigy was being burnt in the Nevada desert, authorities said.

Burning Man attendee found dead in ‘a pool of blood’ as massive wooden effigy was being torched (Unsplash - representational image)

The man’s body was found around 9 pm when an attendee flagged down a sheriff’s deputy and claimed they saw “a male subject lying in a pool of blood,” the Reno Gazette Journal reported. The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is probing the death as a homicide.

The sheriff’s office said the person was found while the “Man,” a massive human-shaped wooden sculpture, was being torched at the center of the festival grounds in Black Rock City. The man was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene. His body was taken to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office.

A perimeter was created around the area by local deputies, the Bureau of Land Management rangers, and Burning Man’s own Black Rock Rangers. They interviewed various festival goers at the scene. The deceased man’s identity has yet to be confirmed.

Sheriff’s office and Burning Man speak out

Officials said on Sunday, August 31, that the crime scene will be gated off while an investigation is underway. “Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances,” the sheriff’s office said, as reported by the New York Post.

“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, which started last Sunday, will end on Monday, September 1.

"There is no further information available at this time but it will be released as appropriate to provide for communication, while still preserving the integrity of the complicated investigation of a crime in a city which will be gone by the middle of the week," the sheriff said, as reported by People.

Burning man has also issued a statement on the matter. “The investigation is ongoing and 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,” the Burning Man website said, adding, “The safety and well-being of our community are paramount.”