A man found dead in a pool of blood at Burning Man just as the iconic “Man” effigy began to burn has been identified, officials announced.
The Aug. 30 incident unfolded at around 9:15 p.m. when a festivalgoer flagged down a deputy after finding the victim, identified at that time only as a white male adult on the ground, according to the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, where the festival is held on an annual basis, immediately secured the area and established a perimeter.
Investigators described the death as a homicide and interviewed several people who were in the area, though no suspects were arrested.
The victim, according to PCSO, has been identified as 37-year-old Washington State resident Vadim Kruglov.
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FILE – In this Aug. 26, 2002 file photo the sun rises behind a wood and neon statue, the center piece of the annual Burning Man festival north of Gerlach, Nev. Burning Man organizers are considering requiring attendees to prove they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 if they move forward with plans to hold this year’s counter-culture festival in the Nevada desert. But they have backed off an earlier announcement that they’d already decided to make shots mandatory, and won’t decide for sure until the end of the month whether the event that was canceled last year due to the pandemic will even take place. (AP Photo/Debra Reid, File) -
FILE – The “Man” burns on the Black Rock Desert at Burning Man near Gerlach, Nev., on Aug. 31, 2013. (Andy Barron/The Reno Gazette-Journal via AP) -
A Burning Man participant holds up his arms as the wooden man effigy is burned at the conclusion of the week-long festival on Sept. 6, 1998. (MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images) -
This image released by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of the center camp of the Burning Man 2024 festival, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, in Black Rock City, Nev. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP) -
In this satellite photo provided by Maxar Technologies, an overview of Burning Man festival in Black Rock, Nev on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. (©2023 Maxar Technologies via AP) -
Vehicles line up to leave the Burning Man festival in Black Rock Desert, Nev., Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. The traffic jam leaving the festival eased up considerably Tuesday as the exodus from the mud-caked Nevada desert entered a second day following massive rain that left tens of thousands of partygoers stranded there for days.(Monique Sady via AP)
Preliminary, though unconfirmed, reports on social media claim the 37-year-old, originally from Omsk, Russia, had settled in Tacoma and was very involved in the festival.
“He poured his soul into our community; building the camp, creating an art installation, always ready to help others, and being kind and responsive to everyone,” a person said in an Instagram post. “His energy and contribution will forever remain part of the Burn’s history.”
The Burning Man Project released a statement, saying “Our hearts go out to Vadim’s family and friends and we grieve the loss of a community member,” and adding that the organization is doing whatever it can to assist in the investigation “so the perpetrator can be brought to justice.”
There are reports that the 37-year-old was stabbed to death, though authorities have yet to confirm that detail while his death, described as a homicide, remains under investigation.
The portion of the festival where the incident occurred remained under heavy law enforcement presence until the scene was fully processed, though officials noted the unique challenge of investigating a homicide in a temporary city that was quickly dismantled after the festival ended.
“Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances,” the PCSO stated.
Anyone with information about the investigation is encouraged to contact PSCO Investigator Josh Nicholson at 775-273-2641 or by email at jnicholson@pershingcountynv.gov.