A man has died and 23 people have been hospitalized after attending Hard Summer Music Festival 2018 at the Auto Speedway in Fontana, California, Billboard reports. The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department has identified the victim as 19-year-old Andrew Cole Dick from Tracy, California. Dick was reportedly taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead August 5 at 11:45 p.m. Officials have scheduled an autopsy to determine his cause of death.
Following the incident, festival organizers issued a statement to Pitchfork, saying, “It is with great sadness that we have learned a festival attendee has passed away following HARD Summer this weekend. We extend our deepest sympathies to the individual’s loved ones, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts.
“The health and safety of those who attend our events is HARD’s utmost priority, and we take every measure to create a safe and enjoyable environment. We have no further information at this time, but we encourage the community to come together, support each other, and always look out for one another in light of this tragedy.”
Additionally, 23 festival attendees were hospitalized during the event that featured performances by Rick Ross, Travis Scott, Diplo and more. Two women remain hospitalized and the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department also reports the arrest of 11 people.
Recently, festivals have faced increasing scrutiny over safety measures. In 2016, Live Nation faced litigation after a 22-year-old college student died of an apparent overdose.
Photo Credit: Mauricio Alvarado