Burning Man Police Records Posted in Online Archive

Law enforcement records of arrests conducted at the 2023 and 2024 annual Burning Man events have been obtained by Expanding Frontiers Research. Material received thus far includes case reports, witness statements and digital images released by the Pershing County (NV) Sheriff's Office as part of a still-open records request. The material has been organized and posted in the EFR Online Archive in a Burning Man collection, which includes a slideshow of several images from the records received.

Aerial view of 2010 Burning Man that included a reported 51,525 participants, credit: Kyle Harmon

The arrest reports reflect violence and drug use. Domestic violence and battery charges are prevalent, while ecstasy, ketamine, psilocybin, methamphetamine, cocaine and other drugs often found their ways into the custody of law enforcement.

In addition to circumstances inherent to rampant use of mind-altering drugs, challenges for law enforcement also include answering the related calls of assault and battery in extreme weather conditions. In 2023, a shelter in place notice was issued when flooding from rain was so heavy that vehicles could not navigate the area. An officer assigned to the event used an all-terrain vehicle to respond to a call for help when a man repeatedly entered a private camp and physically assaulted its members. The officer documented measures taken to detain the suspect and deescalate the situation after having been informed agencies were unable to assist and remove the individual due to the flooding.

Both 2024 and 2023 included someone charged with assault with a deadly weapon, and in each case, it was a motor vehicle. A green Chevy van, pictured below, was the carelessly operated weapon of choice in 2024, and in 2023 a Uhaul truck was reportedly used in an attempt to run people down.

A similar FOIA request was submitted to the FBI, and a final response has not yet been received. FBI records, if obtained, will be posted in the Burning Man section of the EFR Online Archive. More records are also expected from Pershing County and will be added when obtained.

View the growing Burning Man collection of law enforcement records and accompanying images.