RCMP confirms one person dead at Pemberton Music Festival

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      The RCMP has confirmed to the Straight that there has been a death at the Pemberton Music Festival.

      An officer said at this point that nobody had yet been appointed to speak to media. He added that an RCMP news conference may be held later in the evening, possibly around midnight.  

      The officer also confirmed that members of the RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) were on their way to the Pemberton festival site or already here. He was however quick to add that the presence of IHIT officers did not necessarily mean the death was a murder.  He described it as a "precaution".  

      Huka Entertainment, the festival's New Orleans–based organizers, has released a brief statement.  

      "The Pemberton Music Festival can confirm that an incident has occurred in one of the festival campgrounds," the statement reads. "RCMP are onsite investigating. Huka Entertainment is working with Pemberton Fire and Rescue to care for campers who need to be relocated during the police investigation."  

      There is an observably heightened police presence in the "founders" section of the festival's camping area, where the death is believed to have occurred.

      The festival is continuing without interruption. At the time of writing, night-one headliners Nine Inch Nails were continuing their set on the main stage.

      Update: Nick Phongsavath identified by police as man who died at Pemberton Music Festival

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      Comments

      19 Comments

      Terrible Pressure

      Jul 18, 2014 at 10:46pm

      Well, this puts the deafening crap on 4th avenue in perspective--at least they only damaged people's hearing!

      Nanny Kat

      Jul 19, 2014 at 12:03am

      Sadly the parents of this person probably don't know yet........but social media does.....

      morals vs. values

      Jul 19, 2014 at 11:01am

      Out of respect for the deceased person and their family and friends, the music festival should be shut down. If I was at an event where a death occurred, I wouldn't continue partying--- I would leave. Why hasn't the event been shut down? Someone just died. Who cares about being out of the cost of the price of the event .... Life is worth more than a cover charge. So sad to read that "that the festival continues without interruption."

      @morals and values.

      Jul 19, 2014 at 12:28pm

      It's a yanky company , do you think they would stop a show and interrupt profit. NOPE..

      @morals and values

      Jul 19, 2014 at 1:48pm

      To the people hating on the organizers for not shutting down the event, have you any idea how much work and money goes into planning a festival this size?? While it's truly unfortunate that someone died, it's not their fault and why should they be millions of dollars in the hole because of it? There's thousands of people they'd have to refund, and they'd still be legally obligated to pay all of the bands, and I'm sure that's a huge price tag. If I were attending a festival that shut down because someone passed away, I'd be pretty upset considering how much of a financial investment it is to attend an event like this.

      germs

      Jul 19, 2014 at 3:38pm

      The show must go on.

      morals vs. values

      Jul 19, 2014 at 6:18pm

      To the people responding to @morals vs. values: your life and death morals vs. monetary and right to party values, are duly noted. You appear to possess an attitude of entitlment that dictates to ensure you're "getting your money's worth" and reverence for financial gain at any cost, even when a death has occurred at the event. Did you consider how your attitude for your right to party on, even after RCMP have confirmed someone has died on site at this event, could be viewed as an accessory to the cause of death? Maybe that's why they haven't shut it down; keep all the suspects there at the scene while the RCMP conduct their investigation. But hey, on the other hand, there's a multi million dollar music festival that's much more important than the loss of a life. I guess the crowd control and legal contractual obligations in this scenerio are not factored into the cover charge at the event. Distract the inebriated morons with what's on stage. After all, that's what's more important here.....right?

      What in the Hell

      Jul 19, 2014 at 7:31pm

      This is highly disturbing.

      Ms. Jackson

      Jul 19, 2014 at 8:17pm

      If they tried to shut the festival down, all hell would break loose. I'm sure that even the deceased would want the show to go on. Condolences to friends and family. Rock In Peace kid...

      cuz

      Jul 20, 2014 at 8:40am

      @ morals vs values, You are pretty immature. Your logic lacks reasoning. Yes, death sucks, but life goes on. They don't shut down a city every time someone dies do they? Oh, I get it. It's an opportunity for you to tell the world how much better of a person that you are.