Sheila E. Criticizes Festival Organizers After Tragic Death at Concert

Sheila E. criticized festival organizers following the death of a woman at the Carson Jazz Festival. The woman, Shari Sanders, died during the concert, and her body was reportedly left in the crowd until after Sheila E.’s performance.

The musician expressed her heartbreak over the situation on social media, stating this incident had never happened in her career. She mentioned the extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, as a possible contributing factor to the tragedy.

Sheila E. noted that when she arrived at 7:30 a.m., attendees were already lined up outside. Organizers opened the festival grounds 30 minutes early to accommodate the crowd. She observed emergency crews moving through the audience while waiting for her set.

During her wait, Sheila E. noticed people seemed dehydrated due to the high temperatures. She and her band did not get a sound check, leading to delays in the schedule. At one point, everything stopped suddenly after a woman was seen unresponsive in her seat.

Sheila E. learned that Shari Sanders was unresponsive when bystanders checked on her. It took about 20 minutes for paramedics to arrive. The drummer said she was informed of Sanders’ passing and described the situation as devastating.

Sheila E. also highlighted the organization’s lack of adequate hydration stations. She criticized Carson City for their inadequate planning and claimed people had to wait for hours in the sun to enter the festival.

At the concert, Sheila E. and her band prayed for Sanders before taking the stage. After their performance, they discovered Sanders’ body was not removed until 5 p.m., which deeply upset Sheila E.

In a statement, Sheila E. expressed her sorrow and sent condolences to Sanders’ family, regretting that she performed without knowing the body was still in the venue.

Carson City Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes extended her condolences to Sanders’ family, acknowledging the tragic incident and expressing the community’s grief.