Man Who Died at Jason Aldean Concert Was “Extremely Intoxicated”
22-year-old Cory Barron who disappeared during a Jason Aldean concert at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Friday, July 18th, and was later found dead in a dumpster in New Russia Township just outside of Cleveland, was “extremely intoxicated” at the time of his disappearance according to a preliminary police report. Though an initial autopsy has been conducted on the body, the full autopsy including the toxicology report will not be available for another three to six weeks according to officials.
The information about Cory Barron’s level of impairment came from police interviewing friends of the Bowling Green State University senior who were also attending the concert. The man disappeared around 9:30 PM after visiting some friends in a different section of the concert from his assigned seat. He never returned, and in the following days a full search for the man turned up nothing. Then on Tuesday, July 22nd, his body was found by landfill workers in a dumpster that was transported from Progressive Field. He still had his ticket stub in his pocket. Investigators turned their attention to a trash chute near Mr. Barron’s assigned seat that plummeted five stories down to where the dumpster was located.
Exactly how the man gained access to the chute and fell into the dumpster has yet to be determined, but investigators at this point are saying there is no evidence that foul play was involved. The death has not been called a homicide, but a “found body” case, though homicide detectives have been assisting in the investigation because of the nature of the case. According to Action News 19 in Cleveland, sources say that Cory may have also engaged in an argument with another man or group of men right before he disappeared. They also say the only way someone could have accessed the chute was to crawl into it.
The death of Cory Barron comes as reports of arrests and intoxication-related injuries seem to be on the increase at country music concerts. A Keith Urban show on Saturday, July 26th made headlines when 55 people were arrested and 22 were taken to the hospital in what the fire department described as a “mass casualty” event. Similar numbers marred a Luke Bryan show in Pittsburgh earlier this summer. The Jason Aldean concert at Progressive Field where Cory disappeared also saw 35 attendees arrested, mostly on alcohol-related charges. Whether the reporting is better or there truly is an elevated rash of unruly patrons at country concerts, the topic has become a hot button issue in country music.
Corry Barron’s funeral was on Monday (7-28). Hundreds of friends and family filled the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fremont, Ohio to remember the young man.
July 29, 2014 @ 5:27 pm
Just posted this link on the Keith Urban thread but it seems appropriate for here too.
http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/6193479/does-country-music-need-an-alcohol-intervention
I think the answer is yes it does.
July 29, 2014 @ 11:58 pm
I’m certainly not one who desires to go back to the Prohibition era over eighty years ago……….but have we really gone so far as a society to the opposite end of the continuum by this guiding notion that we can only truly escape and “live in the moment” if we imbibe in at least several alcoholic beverages per engagement of this sort?
I’ve stated in the “Burnin’ It Down” discussion thread how disgusted and disenchanted I’ve long been with the idea that you can only enjoy sex if you’re inebriated (some light alcohol such as wine works fine, but overall being under the influence of heavier alcohol more often than not leads to undesirable outcomes that impair consensual connection)……………but I believe the same notion applies to most festival and larger-scale forms of entertainment.
Do I believe alcohol sales should be banned at all concert venues? No, of course not. That would be stretching it. However, I do believe some sort of cap should be implemented across the board. For example, as far as carrying outside beverages into a venue is concerned, there should be a two drink maximum rule implemented per person. And limit active tailgating hours on-site to avoid situations like the Pittsburgh concerts.
You want to be a real rebel? Dance like no one is watching WITHOUT imbibing alcohol.
July 30, 2014 @ 1:32 am
“You want to be a real rebel? Dance like no one is watching WITHOUT imbibing alcohol.”
Well said, Noah. Of course, as usual the real underlying problem here has to do with $$$. Limiting alcohol sales at the venue means limiting profits. So does turning away people who are visibly drunk off their asses before an event even starts. For that matter, so does hiring adequate security.
July 31, 2014 @ 8:27 am
Yep, no rebellion here. I hate to say it, but this behavior is totally mainstream. Reminds me of this quote from Alice Cooper:
“Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s real rebellion.”
”• Alice Cooper
July 30, 2014 @ 12:07 am
This is very sad and I hope it will serve as a lesson, at least to concert security if not the fans themselves. It seems the nature of these shows is to have an all day event, so people come well before the show even starts and get all day plastered? I don’t know, I haven’t been to a show in ages, but we used to come for the show, have a few beers, and listen to the music. These all day boozefests just seem like an inherently bad idea, especially without adequate security.
July 30, 2014 @ 10:55 am
My god BEER…Really….wow….I’m sorry but the only time someone should drink alcohol is when it’s a holiday like Christmas or New Years cause that’s when it usually can be drank that’s what some of my friends do
August 1, 2014 @ 2:46 am
I went to the Jason aldean concert in Scranton pa a man died there too. its because of the alcohol sales and the tailgating partying before the concerts. there are no rules, no one checks these partiers and when they get inside they are already drunk and are buying more alcohol. there needs to be someone held responsible at the revenue and concert promotion level. its never going to end otherwise. I will not go to another country concert again its disgusting to see and watch while you are trying to enjoy a music concert. I can listen to the music in the comfort of my home and not watch drunk ass people.
August 4, 2022 @ 7:01 pm
Crazy that here we are 7 yrs, 364 days later on July 30, 2022, and a woman sitting on the escalator at the Kenny Chesney concert in Denver, CO fell to her death at the very end of his concert. No doubt she was intoxicated when she stupidly did what she did, but, now Kenny has to remember this show ending with a fan’s death.