A 23-year-old woman died after being struck by debris while seeking shelter from a storm following the evacuation of the RedWest music festival in Salt Lake City. Police say Ava Ahlander sought refuge in her car, which was parked near the festival site, as severe weather moved through the area Saturday. At some point, Ahlander exited her vehicle. It was then, police say, that a scaffolding board—measuring 2 inches by 12 inches—was blown from a nearby apartment construction site and fell roughly 30 feet, striking both Ahlander and her car, Fox 13 reports. Emergency responders arrived at the scene around 5:15pm, and she was transported to the hospital with critical injuries.
"Doctors did a scan, and it looks like the piece of wood crushed her brainstem. There wasn't any discernible brain activity," her uncle Bobby Ahlander told KSL. She was taken off life support and died on Monday after family members had said their final goodbyes. Her organs were donated. "We're honored to be with her as doctors prepare her for that," her uncle said. "It's a beautiful thing, even in the middle of all this heartbreak."
In a statement, Ahlander's family described her as "an absolute delight of a human being" who was well-loved by those around her. They noted that she was an avid concertgoer and had traveled from Seattle specifically to attend the festival with friends and see Post Malone perform. KUTV reports that Post Malone didn't end up playing on Saturday. Organizers ordered the evacuation of the site as the storm approached on Saturday. "Performances will be paused due to severe weather," the festival announced. "Please follow the direction of event staff, gather your belongings, exit the venue, and take shelter."
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