A murder investigation has been launched at the Burning Man festival in the US state of Nevada after a man was found lying in a pool of blood on Saturday night, police say.
A festival-goer alerted a police officer at around 21:14 (04:14 GMT), leading to the discovery of the man's body, who was found lying on the ground, obviously deceased at a campsite, according to the Nevada's Pershing County Sheriff's office.
The discovery coincided with the burning of the Man, a towering structure that symbolizes the festival. The victim's identity has not yet been disclosed.
The Burning Man Project stated it is cooperating with law enforcement and requesting that festival attendees respect the investigation.
Parts of the site in the Black Rock Desert were cordoned off as on-site police began their investigations, aided by a forensics team. Sheriff Jerry Allen indicated that several participants in the immediate area would be interviewed during this investigation.
Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances, Sheriff Allen cautioned.
A heightened police presence is expected to continue at the venue as the investigation unfolds.
Burning Man typically attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Black Rock City, which is constructed annually as a temporary community for the festival, ending this year on Monday.
Past fatalities at the festival include a death due to severe weather in 2023 and an incident in 2017 when a man ran into the burning Man structure.
