Attendee dies on 1st day of Burning Man Festival, cause of death not released
(LOVELOCK, Nev.) — Authorities are investigating the death of a female attendee who died on the first day of the Burning Man Festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
Burning Man’s emergency services personnel found the victim unresponsive around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the Burning Man Project. Deputies responded and confirmed her death, Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said.
“This death will remain under investigation until a Cause and Manner can be determined, which will be updated at the conclusion of an autopsy,” Allen said in a statement.
Her name and age have not been released, pending notification of next of kin.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this loss,” festival organizers said in a statement. “The safety and well-being of our staff and community are paramount. We are cooperating fully with local authorities as they investigate. … Out of respect for the privacy of the grieving family, we will not be providing further details at this time.”
This year’s Burning Man festival runs from Aug. 25 to Sept. 2. About 80,000 people attend Burning Man each year, according to the festival’s website.
Last year’s festival was marred by torrential rains, with thousands mired in mud and told to stay in place and conserve food until they could safely exit the festival grounds.
(SEATTLE) — A man has been arrested after he allegedly carjacked an 80-year-old dog walker, leaving her with fatal injuries before stabbing her dog to death, according to police.
James K. Hayes, a 48-year-old Seattle resident, was found and arrested Thursday morning in the murder of 80-year-old Ruth Dalton.
Police expect he will be charged with first-degree murder, murder during the commission of a robbery and first-degree animal cruelty. He has eight prior felony convictions — including a vehicular homicide conviction from 1993 — and a history of mental health concerns.
Police said he had a knife on him with blood on it when he was arrested.
Police were able to identify the suspect after they received a 911 call reporting that an individual was hurting a dog. An animal control officer then responded to the scene and found a dog that was stabbed to death. The dog was wearing a tag identifying the victim as its owner and the victim’s car was found nearby.
Crime scene investigators were able to lift fingerprints from the victim’s phone, which was in the car, and identify the suspect.
Seattle Police responded to a report of a carjacking on Wednesday and found a citizen giving aid to a woman who was down on the road.
Officers took over life-saving efforts until Seattle Fire Department officials showed up and took over. The victim died of her injuries Wednesday, police said.
Witnesses then told investigators that they had seen a struggle between the woman and the suspect inside the vehicle while the vehicle was moving. The vehicle then drove off the road and a struggle between them continued with the suspect trying to push the victim out of the vehicle as she resisted, according to police.
A witness then stopped their car in the road and came to assist her and the suspect took out a knife. The witness then backed away and retrieved a stick or bat and came back to try and help the woman, according to police.
The car then began to move across the road and crashed into two parked vehicles and the woman was struck during the crash. The suspect drove away from the scene and the victim was left on the street.
Police believe the suspect then drove to a park, stabbed the dog and fled on foot.
“We want to thank the community for the heroic actions of passers-by who just happened to see something like this happening and tried to intervene,” Eric Barden, the deputy chief of the Seattle Police Department said during a press conference.
Police said they are unsure how the suspect got into the car before the carjacking and said that is under investigation. Police do not believe the suspect and the victim knew each other — they think it is a random incident.
There were at least two dogs in the car, one of which escaped the car.
“This is a tragic and horrific incident where a wonderful member of our community was active and participating vibrantly in her community at 80 years old and that was snatched from her and from her family and friends and the community by virtue of this senseless violent act,” Barden said.
(NEW YORK) — George Santos is expected to plead guilty in his fraud case during a hearing Monday in federal court on Long Island, sources familiar with the case told ABC News, while cautioning the erratic former Republican congressman could always change his mind.
A guilty plea would avoid a trial that is scheduled to begin next month. Hundreds of potential jurors had already been summoned.
Calls seeking comment to Santos, his attorney and federal prosecutors with the Eastern District of New York were not returned.
Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives, faces 23 felony charges that accuse him of defrauding donors, lying about his finances and needlessly accepting unemployment benefits among other things.
It was not immediately clear to which charges Santos is expected to plea or what sentence would be imposed.
Santos allegedly misrepresented elements of his background and biography during his campaign to represent parts of Queen’s and Nassau County, but the criminal charges to which he has pleaded not guilty to mainly involve money.
Two associates, including Santos’ former campaign treasurer, have pleaded guilty to charges over their role in his alleged fraud.
(NEW YORK) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was hospitalized with a case of West Nile virus and is now recovering at home, a spokesperson said.
Fauci is expected to make a full recovery, the spokesperson told ABC News in a statement.
West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, according to the CDC.
Mosquitoes typically become infected with the virus after feeding on infected birds and then spread it to humans and other animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases typically begin rising in July and are highest in August and September, CDC data shows.
Several health departments in the U.S. say they have detected West Nile virus in mosquito samples this year. At least 216 cases of West Nile virus have been detected in 33 states, the CDC reports in it’s latest figures.
The majority of people with the virus do not have symptoms, but about one in five will experience fever along with headaches, body aches, joint pain, diarrhea, vomiting or a rash. Most symptoms disappear but weakness and fatigue may last for weeks or months.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.