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Evan Kitzmiller has been identified as the 16-year-old boy who died on Sunday, August 5, after he was found unresponsive at the Lollapalooza music festival in Grant Park, Chicago. Kitzmiller was found in the 300 block of East Randolph Street just before 8 p.m. and was pronounced dead an hour later.
According to various reports, Kitzmiller was taken by a private ambulance provider to Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Sunday, August 5 around 7:50 p.m. local time, where he was pronounced dead nearly an hour later.
At this time, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office hasn’t ruled on a cause of death. Authorities have launched an investigation into Kitzmiller’s death.
Melissa Kitzmiller — Evan’s mother — said she believes that her son, who attended all four days of the festival, had a seizure and that his heart stopped.
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The Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication released the following statement:
“The safety and security of festival attendees is our top priority. We are saddened to learn that an individual transported from the event in critical condition last night due to a medical emergency has since passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time. The circumstances are under investigation and we have no further details at this time.”
In addition, Lollapalooza also released the following statement:
“We are saddened to learn of the death of an individual who attended Lollapalooza on Sunday. The individual’s family and loved ones are in our thoughts during this difficult time. We have no further information at this time.”
Kitzmiller — an honor roll student and three-sport athlete — was set to be a junior at Mundelein High School this fall.
In total, 119 of the more than 300,000 concert-goers were taken to local area hospitals during the four-day music festival, many due to heat-related illness. In addition, seven people were arrested.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kitzmiller family during this difficult time.
