Over the weekend, thousands fans turned out to the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California to partake in the area's most anticipated music festival—HARD Summer. The event drew in over 80,000 people on Saturday, and more than 70,000 on Sunday. Unfortunately, the festival has been marred by a tragic death and over twenty hospitalizations.
According to the local ABC affiliate, KABC 7 Los Angeles, Andrew Cole Click from Tracy, California was taken to a local area hospital and pronounced dead on Sunday night. The cause death is pending, awaiting autopsy results.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department stated there were eleven arrests over the weekend, primarily for drug fenses.
In a statement to Billboard Magazine, a spokesperson for the festival said, “It is with great sadness that we have learned a festival attendee has passed away following HARD Summer this weekend. We extend our deepest sympathies to the individual’s loved ones, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts. The health and safety those who attend our events is HARD’s utmost priority, and we take every measure to create a safe and enjoyable environment. We have no further information at this time, but we encourage the community to come together, support each other, and always look out for one another in light this tragedy.”
In 2016, a 22-year-old college student died at the same festival an apparent drug overdose, and her parents sued Live Nation, stating the company oversold the event and created a dangerous atmosphere.
Temperatures in the area hovered around the century mark the entire weekend. Both Insomniac and HARD Events were more than prepared this year to deal with the heat and crowds, adding plenty shade structures, misters, industrial-sized fans, free water stations, free VIP pool and plenty entrances and exits. Through their ficial smartphone app, they also alerted concert-goers by sending daily reminders to stay hydrated and take advantage the amenities available to beat the heat.
