Death at Shambhala appears to be overdose
By Kyra Hoggan
Sunday morning (Aug. 12), Trail RCMP Detachment were contacted by the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail.
Mitchell Joseph Fleischacker of Sidney was transported from the Shambhala Music Festival near Salmo to Trail, according to RCMP Staff Sgt. Dan Seibel.
“It is believed that the (Fleischacker), who had no identification, was suffering from a drug overdose,” he said.
“The attending hospital physician later pronounced the (Fleischacker) as deceased.”
Britz Robins, Social Media & Communications for the Shambhala Music Festival Ltd. said the man collapsed in the food court area at approximately 5:20 a.m.
“Several patrons in the area quickly notified first aid services. First responders rushed to the scene and at that time found him unconscious, non-responsive but breathing,” Robins said in an emailed press release.
“The man was quickly transported from the on site medical center at Shambhala where he received a high level of emergency medical treatment from a doctor, a registered nurse, paramedics and several first aid attendants.”
Trail RCMP and the B.C. Coroner’s Service were notified.
“Following some inquiries, the deceased male was positively identified as Mitchell Joseph Fleischacker, a 23-year-old from Sidney, B.C.,” Seibel confirmed.
“The investigation in this sudden death is being handled by the Kootenay Boundary Regional Detachment General Investigation Section and B.C. Coroner’s Service, as well as Trail and Salmo Detachments. The cause of death is still under investigation.”
Seibel said police are very much aware that a festival of this size, easily the largest in the region, will require extra policing and attention.
“We meet with them (Shambhala organizers) a number of times both leading up to and during the event, working with their security group,” he said.
“Any festival/concert/large event of that nature, there is going to be drug use – through our pro-active policing, we bolster the (Salmo area) with an additional four to six members per day, and that does not include the West Kootenay Traffic Services and the Integrated Road Safety Unit.”
“Our officers have developed some protocols, because it’s on private property, with seizing drugs through security at the entrance of the festival and, when appropriate, handing drugs over to attending RCMP officers, who take it over as a criminal investigation,” Seibel added.”
He said this is the first overdose death that he’s aware of in his four years coordinating the policing of Shambala.
Robins said the hearts and minds of Shambhala Music Festival Ltd. are with the family and friends of the deceased.
