The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Emergency room doctors called for an end to raves at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Park after more than 100 young people were taken to hospitals during a weekend event, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.
At least two people were in intensive care for drug intoxication at California Hospital Medical Center, including one minor. Another minor was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital comatose, according to the Times.
Dr. Marc Futernick, the hospital’s director of emergency services, called it “unconscionable” for a publicly owned facility such as the Coliseum to host raves.
Authorities said Sunday that some were hurt as people rushed barriers trying to get into the 14th annual Electric Daisy Carnival without the $75 admission ticket.
The event featured rides and five stages with performances by Moby and Will.I.Am. Organizers said it drew about 185,000 people on Friday and Saturday.
There were 226 requests for medical aid, Los Angeles City Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said. Of those, 114 people were transported to hospitals.
Injuries included “people who had fallen, people who were hit, intentionally or otherwise,” Humphrey said. Some appeared to be convulsing or dizzy and faint, he said.
“This is basically a government-encouraged drug fest. That’s the wrong message,” Dr. Brian Johnston, director of the emergency room at White Memorial Medical Center told the Times. “It’s putting people at risk unnecessarily. It’s putting people’s health at risk.”
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told KCBS-TV that city officials will have to assess whether such events should be held in the future.
Jon Lee, director of marketing for the Coliseum and Los Angeles Sports Arena, called the event “a success” and said a very small percentage of the attendees misbehaved.
“We don’t like to see problems, but the vast majority had a good time without incident,” Lee said.
The Coliseum, built on state land, is run by a joint city, county and state commission. The Coliseum does not receive any taxpayer subsidies and is financially independent. It is expected to earn well over six figures from the weekend rave, or as much profit as a couple of USC games, Pat Lynch, its general manager, told the Times.
Publicist Alexandra Greenberg, responding to an e-mail from The Associated Press, said the event promoter, Insomniac Events, could not immediately be reached for comment.