Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Death of festivalgoer ‘brings down the mood,’ but the show must go on

2014 EDC: Night Two

Christopher DeVargas

Festival goers arrive for night two of the Electric Daisy Carnival, Saturday June 21, 2014 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

2014 EDC: Night Two

A costume parade takes to the grounds during the second night of EDC at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 21, 2014. Launch slideshow »

The party raged on at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this evening as the second night of the Electric Daisy Carnival got underway.

About 134,000 people packed the speedway to dance the night away to the sounds of some of electronic music's top DJs.

The enthusiasm was tempered by the death of one festivalgoer as he left the speedway grounds early Saturday morning. Montgomery Tsang, 24, of San Leandro, Calif., was pronounced dead at 6:12 a.m. after reportedly collapsing in the speedway parking lot.

Event organizer Insomniac confirmed Tsang attended the festival Friday evening in a midday statement but has not released any more information.

"We are deeply saddened by this news, and hope that everyone will join us in keeping his family and friends in their thoughts during this very difficult time," the statement said. "Dance music fans pride themselves in being part of a loving community and, as we get ready to start the second night of the show, we ask everyone to help us keep this event safe."

Other details about the death are scarce. A Metro Police spokesman said the department did not have any details on the incident and referred media inquiries to Insomniac.

Authorities said they responded to 249 mostly minor medical calls on the festival's first day. Five people were taken to hospitals.

Twenty-nine people were arrested for narcotics on the first night of the festival, authorities said.

No apparent changes were made Saturday night as a result of the death. The festival grounds are already staffed with more than a dozen ambulances on standby, plus scores of medical workers and police officers.

News of a death among their ranks hadn't reached many of the festivalgoers as they filtered into the speedway Saturday evening.

California resident Corey Parks said he read about the incident online. Parks said Electric Daisy Carnival is meant to be a fun, safe event and knowing that someone died while attending "brings down the mood."

For more Electric Daisy Carnival news, see our complete coverage.

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